On this past sweltering Saturday, we decided to head out of town to Larriland Farms to pick some fruit. It’s so rewarding to gather your own fruits and vegetables and then cook them into meals and treats. Food always tastes better to me when I know I’ve really worked for it. And oh the tasty possibilities of a simple strawberry!
The farm is well-organized. You can check their web site, updated daily, to find out if the current picking conditions will make your trip worthwhile. When you arrive, people guide you to your row and provide clear instructions on how to pick the fruit. If you don’t finish your row, someone will mark where you stopped. Then you take your box of goods up to an outdoor register and pay with cash or credit cards.
This is a great activity for families and anyone who enjoys harvesting their own foods.
Do this:
- Wear a large-rimmed hat to keep the sun off your face.
- Wear cool clothing because you will sweat. A lot.
- Bring a water bottle and drink the water.
- Make sure to put sunscreen on every area exposed, including the little space on your back where your shirt might ride up if you bend over (maybe speaking from experience here). You don’t want to end up looking like a strawberry!
In under an hour, we collected two full boxes of strawberries (27 pounds)! We brought our strawberries back to the city. Some were used to make strawberry muffins. Some were used for strawberry shortcake, served at a board game night. I just cashed in my flight miles for an ice cream maker. So ice cream is next. And I’m giving strawberries away by the bag full, since I admittedly picked more than I can chew.
Cook these:
Strawberry Ice Cream (All Recipes)
Strawberry Muffins (Food.com) Note: A lot of people like to write in adjustments underneath the recipes. I used this as is and the muffins are fantastic.
Strawberry Lemon Shortcake (Food Network)
Strawberry Cupcakes (All Recipes)
Can’t wait to go back for blueberries in June! I’m sure by the end of this week, I won’t want to see another strawberry until next year.
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