It's peak strawberry season right now at The Apple Barn, and we had a great time picking berries on Monday, despite the heat. 
The Apple Barn is in Elkhorn, WI and under two hours north of Chicago. A four quart box was $7, as was a bag of 12 freshly made strawberry doughnuts. We bought and enjoyed both. Berrys are usually plentiful from mid June through mid July.My parents were on their way from a wedding in Crystal Lake to a mini vacation in Door County, and were able to meet up with us for lunch and pick-your-own fun.
So, we had a blast with our multigenerational berry pickin' bonanza. We've harvested apples, grapefruits, oranges and various veggies, but none of us had ever been strawberry picking.
I think it's especially important for urban kids to pick local, seasonal produce and make the connection between farms and our fresh food. 
The berries off the vine are so flavorful compared to the processed grocery store variety. We have two, tiny strawberry plants in our yard, but the yield has been about one berry a week, so far. So, the vast rows of bountiful plants were like a treasure hunt.
Even Dad, the self proclaimed "meatatarian", who says he won't eat fruit and veggies 'cause they grow in dirt,
chowed down.
Everyone had a great time and devoured at least 2 quarts before we left The Apple Barn. 
We ended our visit with a wine tasting in the barn store. The kids sampled goats milk lotions and played kitchen with an antique stove. With our bag of strawberry doughnuts for breakfast in hand, and fresh berry juice on our chins, 
we hit the road back to Chi Town. It was well worth the drive.
How fun!! Brings back memories of my very first job -- picking strawberries at this large berry farm just down the road from my house. It was back-breaking work for very little pay, but I never eat a strawberry without silently thanking the person who picked it for me.
ReplyDeleteSounds like everyone's gonna be QUITE regular for the next few days :D
ReplyDeleteBrings back memories of my family hitting a cherry farm in Cali--- Mom and I ate so many cherries that our mouths and hands were stained for days. Not to mention what it did to our insides. But you're so right-- SO much better than fruit that's been waxed and has travelled across the continent(s) to sit in an air conditioned store shelf.
YUM!