My daughter and I took the girls to the strawberry farm today to pick berries. It was such a beautiful day. This picture was taken before we got started - you can tell because our faces and hands are still clean!
We go to Browns Farm in Alabama - it is close and very family friendly, with public bathrooms and a huge pavilion with picnic tables. We've been going since before Jillian was born - back in the days when I flew from out West to visit Andrea and her husband. Now I get to just drive 30 minutes to pick strawberries!
Jillian was old enough this year to really help with the picking!
Rosetta? She ate more than she picked!! This evening when I dumped one of my buckets in the sink to wash the berries there were a lot of half eaten ones!
I love strawberries right off the vine. As a matter of fact, I can hardly stand to eat a strawberry from the store - they don't even taste like the same fruit.
It was such a perfect day. You know its fun when everyone had red sticky faces and fingers!
Andrea and I each bought three buckets of these awesome things!
I came home and made 8 half pints of jam. I love these little half pint jars. I don't like having huge jelly jars in the refrigerator and they are perfect for giving as gifts too. Hopefully we'll get back to pick one more time before the season is over.
I guess my favorite part of the day is that it is still a novelty to go and pick strawberries. Where we lived in the Southwest desert there was no such thing as a strawberry farm. Things (besides tumbleweeds) just don't grow too well in pink sand! I am thankful that I now live where things grow in abundance and I want to cherish that.
Hope your week is wonderful.
What a delightful day with your sweet granddaughters, and your jam looks delicious! I'm looking forward to getting my hands on some fresh strawberries soon. Our growing season is a bit behind normal.
ReplyDeleteoh yummy! I can hardly wait till berries are in season here AND we can get our garden planted. Spring is finally here! We are lucky to have a large Amish greenhouse nearby, with 'already picked' berries so reasonable. Just what this mama loves. (smile)
ReplyDeleteHow lovely. I love picking berries. Can't wait to pick my own soon.
ReplyDeleteThe girls looks so cute.
Lisa
Leeshideaway
We love going strawberry picking at Potts Farm near Bell Buckle. It is actually time for us to go, but I have to get past this weekend's graduation and Keith leaving on Monday before I bring in buckets of strawberries to put up. I hope to go mid of next week.
ReplyDeleteYour jelly looks delicious and the girls are precious as usual.
Dori,
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure I have never had Strawberries right off of the vine. I was glad to get a glimps of the fields in the pictures, I had always picured that strawberries would grow on a trellace vine. I love Rosetta's sticky face, so precious!
Ashley
Mmm. I'm so jealous! We used to go rake blueberries in Maine when I was a kid. I do wish we had farms like that out here!
ReplyDeleteLots of love, Bec
Rosetta's face is priceless! Love that you are near your family and are able to build sweet memories with them.
ReplyDeleteTake care.
Emily
I would love to have your recipe for strawberry jam. And where you got those precious little jam jars.
ReplyDeleteI'm going with my daughter this weekend to pick strawberries and vegetables at a family farm about an hour out of Los Angeles.
Thank you,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth, I simply follow the strawberry jam recipe in the Sure Jell pectin box! I've tried a lot of different recipes through the years and this one is always the best. (They have two ways; one is a freezer jam and the other a canned jar jam. I like to can mine in jars.) The precious little 1/2 pint jars are Bell jars and I found mine in the canning section of Walmart! Good luck and have fun!
DeleteDearest Dori,
ReplyDeleteI have to say your smile in the first picture, probably summed up perfectly your day amongst "strawberry" paradise! What a perfect day.
I've taken my kiddos strawberry pickin' for the past two years and we always have so much fun! Last year it was the same as with your granddaughters, my older one actually helped and the 2 year old just ate all the ones he found. :) I made freezer jam with mine and I still have some left and it's almost pickin' time again! :) I just recently got a canning pot and rack at a yard sale so I'm excited to start learning how to can.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog!! Makes me happy just reading it~and makes me feel a little closer to you guys!
ReplyDeleteOH, that is precious!!! I'm glad you are thankful to be able to do that, but I'm jealous!! lol And I like reading your blog. It's kinda bittersweet. I always knew you were a person I'd enjoy being around more, and I didn't take advantage of that while I had the chance. :)
ReplyDeleteYour season is several weeks ahead of us but I can't wait :)
ReplyDeleteMy first job was picking strawberries at a local farm...
I have a raised bed in my yard now full of blossoms ( started it last year hoping for a nice crop this year ) that soon will get a cover of netting to keep the birds out! :)
Hello - I've been a fan of Keeping It Cozy for quite awhile and today noticed your comment on her blog signed ~Mom~ so popped over here. How fun that mom and daughter both blog! I will be reading yours, too. Those granddaughters are darling! I live "out West" so our berries aren't in season quite yet. I have new strawberry plants in the garden this year plus raspberries and blueberries. Hoping for good crops!
ReplyDeletehttp://northislandcottage.blogspot.com/