5.31.2012

DO: Summer Bucket List part 1 - Strawberry Picking with Kids!



Today was a perfect strawberry picking day, so I packed up my kiddos and my mom and headed to Indiana to pick strawberries! We had a fantastic time (even though it was an hour and a half in the car, each way), the kids listened to an audio book, read books and played on the iPad. 




We parked at the orchard's store and then rode a wagon out to the field. In this picture, we were admiring Bella's clean clothes, because we knew they wouldn't last long. :) 




(My mom is totally not going to be happy with that picture :) 




So sweet right???






This picture lasted for a whole of ten seconds. 










For some reason I thought each of us should have a 10 pound basket. That was a little overzealous on my part. So, I would pick like crazy, then hand off my basket and take their EMPTY basket to fill. After a while, I had Bella pick 10 strawberries at a time (then, take a break and eat 10 :) For Israel, his goal was 100. Note to self: next time, smaller baskets for the kids. 





Hubby had a cow when I told him how many we picked. But, I had to make the drive worthwhile, didn't I??!! Tomorrow...we begin making oodles and oodles of StrawBarb Jam (click for last weeks recipe post), a massive Strawberry pie, and freeze sliced and whole strawberries for cooking/baking later on. I'm trying to convince him of the money I am saving over the course of the year, but after the price of the strawberries, the gas and the yummy Raw Honey and homemade doughnuts that I bought there...not so much. 






p.s. if you are smart, you can bring your own boxes. (do my lilly white boxes give away that I wasn't that smart and had to purchase them there? hey, don't judge....) 


p.p.s. bring sunscreen. i had it in the car, but didn't use it...again, really smart.  


p.p.s.s., this is a "fun activity" so please don't spend the entire time yelling at your kids to stop hopping over bushes. That turns it into an "un-fun activity". 










Have you ever been strawberry picking before? If not, you've got to give it a try! The fruit you buy in the store is never as tasty as the fruit you pick in the field. And, it is such a great summer activity, even if you are wimpy and pick only one ten pound box. :)


If you are somewhere around northern Indiana, give them a try!
Facebook: GarwoodAppleOrchard
garwoodorchard.com/
Located in LaPorte, IN - with a Farm Market, a U-Pick Farm with rhubarb, strawberries, blueberries, apples....and KILLER homemade doughnuts. I may have to drive back, just to pick up another dozen. 




Happy summer pickin',
Kristen

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