Mmmm... strawberries!

Last year we had lots of fun with the kids when we went apple and pumpkin picking, and made note that we would have to hit more of the fruit and vegetable harvests this year. Strawberry season was first on the list (running late May through June here) so we were just waiting for the weather and our schedules to cooperate. We woke up to a picture perfect day yesterday - bright and sunny with just a few puffy white clouds in the sky, and the temperature was very comfortable in the mid-70's. Nothing really planned for the day and my wife had the day off work. So after breakfast we scrambled into the van and headed over to Larriland Farm to pick us some strawberries!

We figured it would be better to go on a weekday since fewer people would be there, but as we pulled into the farm we were quite surprised at the line of cars winding their way through the fields to the parking area. Luckily there was a huge area of strawberries, and the crowd didn't seem so, well, crowded, when scattered through the field.

The kids had a great time scampering down the rows of plants, filling their baskets with the red, juicy fruit. Of course, some of the berries never made it into a basket, instead taking a detour straight into their mouths. The kids' faces and hands were stained red, evidence of their surreptitious snacking, as we finally brought our harvest to the pay stand to be weighed. Luckily the folks at Larriland are good natured, and don't seem to mind if a few berries go unaccounted for. OK, it was more than a few... and I had a couple too (have you ever tasted something as succulant as a fresh, ripe strawberry just off the vine?) but they didn't seem to mind.

Mmmm... good day yesterday. Next up are blueberries and raspberries in about 3 weeks. I can't wait!