Thanks for the responses! We uncovered and are crossing our fingers for not too much frost control needed in our near future...

Original question: Happy spring, farmers!  What rules do you use to decide when to uncover straw on matted row strawberries?  We have always used the gut feeling approach...

the old timer we learned from said that once you get to March (we're in southern NH) and the ten day forecast has no low temps below 15, you're safe. Seems to have worked out for us.

Here in Monkton, a little further north from you, we usually uncover around the first to second week of April. I watch the ten day forecast and if there are no nights in the twenties or lower I go ahead. 

Generally when the maples start to leaf out it’s time to get the mulch off. BUT the timing depends on your set- up for frost damage prevention . There have been studies showing that delaying mulch removal results in reduced yields but frost damage to blossoms will reduce yields even more!

If there is new growth that is being blanched by the mulch, it’s time to uncover the matted rows.