If my Burmese cat was not the same colour as a wooden staircase at midnight, perhaps I wouldn’t have fallen from top to bottom of the stairs in the middle of the night, finding myself surrounded by broken pictures and covered with blood — but he is and I did.

Thanks to our wonderful doctors at the John Radcliffe and all those kindly medics in my village surgery at Eynsham, who provided painkillers and the advice needed to speed recovery, I am well now, though my memory is still playing up, making it difficult to sort words into a meaningful article that waxes lyrical about the joys of summer, summer fruits and most particularly strawberries plucked fresh from Oxford’s pick-your-own strawberry fields.

I aim to try my best, however, particularly as I believe that there are health benefits to eating strawberries. Among all the fruits profiled as the World’s Healthiest Foods, strawberries come out as one that not only tastes fantastic but is ranked highest in health-promoting antioxidants. Having lived on freshly-picked strawberries provided by friends this week, I would also class them as a fruit capable of bringing joy to those who have to face those little green packets of painkillers. Because the big bowl of strawberries placed besides my bed acted as a calming agent, that eased the pain and, because they signified summer and everything that was good about this time of the year, I am convinced they speeded my recovery.

Friends decided the only medicine I really needed was some fresh air and a big bowl of strawberries; so they drove me to Medley Manor Farm, in Binsey Lane, Oxford. Having placed a large basket in my hands, they encouraged me to begin picking. The strawberries looked so good that I must admit that at first I ate more than went into the basket — but who can resist when they are warm from the sun and the juices run free? Strawberries are best eaten raw, without washing until you are ready to consume them. Yes, they can be frozen and will keep in a deep freeze for up to six months, but when frozen they lose that luscious shine and firmness of flesh, and go really soggy when thawed. Far better to eat them when plucked straight from the soil.

While in the strawberry fields I was delighted to come face to face with young Arthur, the son of my dear friends Amanda and Bruce Young, from Shaken Oak Farm, Hailey, who make award-winning mustards for which they are famed. They were there to pick strawberries for Amanda’s delicious strawberry jam, which she sells alongside their mustards at the the at Charlbury and Deddington farmers’ markets and at the Callow Farmshop, in Stonesfield. Budgens at Yarnton sell her produce, too.

Amanda managed to make 25 jars at the weekend and is still speaking of the amazing fragrance that filled her kitchen as the pot bubbled. She gets her strawberries from Medley Manor Farm because they offer so many different varieties. First, the Honeyoye, which is an early variety, and then Alice, which makes fine jams. She says that a trip to the pick-your-own is equal to growing your own, and for busy people like her, there is not always time to grow all her your own fruits, though her recently planted quince trees are now offering a prolific harvest that can be turned into quince jelly.

Arthur enjoys helping his parents harvest Mr Gee’s strawberries. While we were speaking he held his basket of strawberries close to my face: “Smell the summer,” he said, adding that there is “nothing like the aroma of strawberries to declare that summer is here”.

Having placed my basket of strawberries in the back of the car while we were chatting I was inclined to agree. The fragrance, when I opened the door was overwhelming. Amanda could buy fruit from the supermarket, but she says jam would never taste as good — and her kitchen would never be filled with the fragrance of summer.

She gave me a jar of her jam, and I used it as a medicine by spreading it on newly-baked bread, which was covered with Oxfordshire butter made from fresh cream from Jersey cows and processed by the Upper Norton Jersey Cream Company, at Church Hanborough. This butter is so good it even graces The Queen’s table. Raymond Blanc uses the Norton Jersey cream and butter too at the Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons.

Because I spread the butter and Amanda’s strawberry jam on freshly-baked bread cooked especially for me by my dear friend Tei Williams, who makes the best bread ever, all I can say is that these glorious tastes of summer combined to provide me with a jam sandwich par excellence. It proved to be the best medicine ever and really did buck me up — such that Buster the Burmese was soon forgiven for sleeping on the top stair at midnight.