After a friend told me about going with her family to pick strawberries, I thought that would be a fun outing for the kids and me. My kids think that strawberries (and everything) come from 'the store', or at best a fruit stand. So this morning we loaded up all the (fake) tupperware we own and headed out to a little farm near Dayton.
I have to say here that as I child I HATED picking strawberries. I would maybe be excited initially about it, and probably was okay the first couple of minutes as I was stuffing fresh ripe berries in my mouth, but once the bottom of my container was covered, I was pretty much done. Of course, my parents were all about having a ton of berries, so I grumbled and complained, and eventually filled up the bowl. Come to think of it, I still really don't like picking berries. I have the attention span of approximately a gnat when it comes to harvesting berries. Joel and the kids do raspberry duty around here, and every August when we go to my dad's to pick blackberries, I put myself in charge of 'the baby.' (Whoever it happens to be that year.)
So I was laughing to myself as we drove out there. I was being upbeat and positive because I wanted it to be a fun experience for the kids- they've never even SEEN a strawberry field! So I was telling my kids about picking berries as a kid (the 'sunshiney' version, of course), and I just have to share this conversation.
Me: So when I was a kid, I would go pick berries with my mom or my dad.
Garrett: Who is your mom and dad?
Seriously? In case you don't know, we live about 6 blocks from my mom, and 15 miles from my dad. They are both pretty much key players in the story of our life. And I swear, we've had this conversation 70 times. And we'd just stopped at my mom's 30 seconds before.
Me: Really Garrett? Who are my mom and dad, do you think?
Garrett: Hmmm. Papa Bill and Grandma Nita? (Joel's parents who live 2 hours away.)
Me: Garrett! Who is my mom? I'll give you a hint...we just saw her!
Garrett is silent.
Maddy: N-A-N-A
Carter (I swear!): NANA!!!!
Garrett: OH! Nana! (Completely acted like this was new information.)
Me: Right! And who is my dad?
Garrett: Papa Burke?
Me: No! That's my grandpa!
Carter pipes in: Joel?
Garrett: Yeah! Joel!
Oh my word.
Me: No, Joel is YOUR dad, my husband. Here's a clue, MY dad flies airplanes.
Garrett and Carter: PAPA Vroom Vroom!
Me: Right. Sigh of relief. Good grief!
Anyway, we arrived at the patch. Garrett was really concerned that there would be too many people there and we wouldn't have our own space. He was relieved to see that their was only one other lady there- and the field was probably 5-7 acres. Phew!
Let me tell you, these kids are berry pickers. They must take after their father (or my parents), because they were all business. Carter had his little bucket, but mostly just ate. But the Bigs just went to town- I was amazed! I was thinking we'd probably get 1 bucket (6-7 lbs), and call it good. But the kids kept wanting to pick more and more- and we came home with 3 buckets- around 20 pounds of fresh strawberries! I was just amazed. And they were so nice to each other. I kept hearing, "Wow Garrett, you are the best strawberry picker in our family!" And then, "Well, you are pretty good too, Maddy!" They just crack me up.
It was just a gorgeous morning. It's days like this that make living in the PacNW worth it for me. Here are a few pictures, and then I am off to deal with 20 POUNDS of FRESH strawberries!
5 comments:
I am impressed! This year was our 3rd year of strawberry picking but I went solo (with my friend Mary). I picked 13 lbs. My advice: make LOTS and LOTS of no-cook freezer jam. It is great on toast, sandwiches, and on vanilla ice cream too! :)
I have great memories of childhood strawberry picking. My mom would drive my brother & I out near Aurora in our green Volkswagen Rabbit. All the way home it would smell like strawberries...mmm! My mom would make the best lil' crepes for dinner that night.
Those strawberries look delicious. We make no cook freezer jam with ours too. It is great for vanilla ice cream and on scones (yummy!) Also, use some for some homemade strawberry shortcake. I can't believe the kids lasted that long picking. We haven't tried that adventure yet with our kiddos. We get ours at the fruit stand and have always had good luck, but picking would be fun for something new. Happy Strawberry eating! :)
my sister took CJ out last friday (we ran into Teresa with the twins and sans Diana who had just left) and many others in Winco buying "more" sugar...I walked out with 25 lbs of sugar and we went back for another 10! My sister and I made 36 1 1/2 pints of no-cook freezer jam! yummy! My parents had a u-pick/we pick strawberry field ON OUR FARM! no need to drive, we would just roll out of bed and have to pick a certain amount of crates before we could do ANYTHING fun! It totally sucked...my fav? Running the strawberry stand (alone one day) and a really-really old lady was at the counter checking out...and she said (I swear) "well, Paige, you are fine looking young boy" I pretty much died right there! ( I should have charged her double..stupid old lady) My sister takes CJ to pick the strawberries now...I am waaaaay too scarred, plus I hate berries, too many seeds. AND... those pix you posted are really cool! first just pictures, then collages and now uber-cool-retro-slide-show-on-vintage-poloroid! you rock!
I am realizing that with all the comments I post on your blog and Allison's blog...I "might" need to get my own blog...I am like a stalker-blogger-poster!
I'm glad they had different color hats or they would have blended right in! I love the little photobucket deal. I was hoping to get one on one blog tutoring when I came over. It was fun catching up today! I love you & all the Gibettes too! (My made up word for Gibson kids!)
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