Picking Strawberries

Yesterday, Dad and I took Aubrey to pick strawberries. We called ahead and were told that they had just pulled back the frost prevention coverings and were surprised with the first of the season. The weather was a bit damp, but Aubrey had a great time taking berries I picked and dropping them in her grandfather’s basket.

We picked a gallon of berries, which cost $9. These are beautiful berries that smell as sweet as they taste. Better yet, I picked them from a field of newly budding produce and gave my $9 directly to the farmer who planted and cared for them. Odds are good my $9 will go directly back into our local community and not to California. Moreover, when is the last time you took a child anywhere you felt good about, where $9 bought at least 2 hours of good, clean fun. You can’t even go to a movie for that.

The farmer told me he will have heirloom tomatoes, onions, garlic and watermelons all available later in the summer and gave me a list of the farmer’s markets where he sells his wares. There are farmers markets on that list I’ve never heard of. I’m am looking forward to seeing more of him - soon.