Strawberry picking and car washes
I’ve never taken N strawberry picking before, and last weekend spotted a friend had taken her two to a pick your own only 10 minutes drive away from us. We didn’t have particular plans on Sunday (mine were to relax after Britmums Live), so decided as it was a lovely day, we’d go and check it out.
Now N is a massive strawberry fan. I mean, I like them with cream or ice cream, and the OH is partial to them (with both ice cream and condensed milk!). But N obviously takes after his Grandfather, who will happily polish off any leftovers after having had a full bowl ful. So I was a bit worried about whether N would actually pick them, or just try and eat lots.
My concern was unjustified. I obviously have no faith, as I told him in the car that we had to wait until we’d paid to taste them. He nodded and true to his word, he didn’t eat one strawberry…until the people in the strip next to us said how cute he was and how much he was enjoying it, then encouraged him to eat one. So one he had.
It really was a beautiful day, and the pick your own was the best I’ve been to. We picked up a couple of plastic punnets, and off we went.
Every couple of rows, the strawberry name changed, so you could choose which type you wanted. N decided on the rows of Alice strawberries.
I had to keep reminding him that he had to check before picking that the strawberry was red all over. It took him a while to get the checking before rather than checking after he’d picked it. Sorry, to the pick your own for the wasted unripe ones he picked before he got the hang of it! But he loved it.
Needless to say I picked half his punnet for him, and he proudly carried his punnet to the shop to be weighed and paid for. He would not let me carry it…I half expected him to say no to the man who wanted to weigh the punnet!
We got them safely home, and N decided he wanted to show Granny and Gramps his strawberries he’d picked. One Gator ride later and he was showing the in laws and his aunt and cousins them over at the farm.
He wouldn’t let anyone have one though. Until eventually he let his youngest cousin choose one. But even poor Gramps wasn’t allowed to touch them, let alone eat one.
‘They’re all mine’.
I didn’t think much of that. Until tea time and I took one punnet out of the fridge to hull the strawberries ready for pudding.
‘Noooooo, they’re mine. Noone else can eat them’
When I ignored him ‘Mummy, put.them.back.in.the.fridge’. Ooh stroppy!
I couldn’t believe it. He seemed to think that his punnet was his, and his only. So I had to explain that it wasn’t, that we picked them for everyone to eat. Eventually he was pacified, and we could all eat them for pudding.
He had to finish off the last few though.
I thought we’d had a lovely day, and asked him what he enjoyed most. We’d been strawberry picking obviously, but he’d also played outside with his cousin for a while. I thought he’d say one of these, but no.
‘Getting your car washed’.
Obviously it’s the little things that toddlers enjoy, including tasks like going through the car wash. I suppose we only go every 2 months when the car is filthy, but he always looks petrified…even though he says he enjoys it!
Have you been fruit picking with your children? Are they strawberry fans?
I have never been to a pick your own farm ever! I’m going to try and get my dad to take us this year although we’ll be avoiding strawberries as my son has an allergy.
Ooh definitely go. They usually have a lot of red/black currants, gooseberries, raspberries etc as well, so you just need to time your visit with what’s ripening then. Great fun
this brings back some really fun memories of summer when we are little looks like you had an amazing day
We took the kids last weekend, it’s such a lovely thing to do with the children, great because you get some yummy strawberries and fresh air all at the same time 🙂 #countrykids
You’re right. Especially when the weather’s lovely. It’s nice for the children to be outside without them charging round getting all hot.
We’ve never gone strawberry picking. We got apple picking in the fall though and its always a blast!
I’ve never been strawberry picking but I would love to go. I really should ask my daughter to go with me for a fun day!
Awww! Love the photos and story. Strawberry picking and/or any fruit picking is so fun with kiddos.
Oh snap! We went this week too. Slightly more regular visitors than you, but you beat us on car washing trips. I have mine well trained on not eating until we’ve paid, although they are allowed one to decide if they like the variety. They’ve not turned a variety down yet! Happy days. #CountryKids
That’s a good idea, I guess the one won’t hurt for trying. To me, strawberries pretty much taste the sane…just good! Enjoy more picking over the season.
Too funny! I love a bit of strawberry picking and the ones you got look so perfect, really red and glossy – I bet they tasted delicious, I’m really impressed that he didn’t eat any on the job! My two love a carwash too but I’m not sure if they could pull off such a poker face about it! 🙂 #countrykids
I was astonished he didn’t eat any. I think he was concentrating on finding all red and not unripe ones.
The poker face for the car wash. Amusing. He said he liked it, adn he likes the car being clean, so it does match up.
Wow, what an exciting day for your little one. I love strawberries and didn’t realize picking them was so labor intensive. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Guess they bruise so easily they have to be handpicked. I know a lot of fruit are.
Looks like you wore him out. It is so much fun taking the kids berry picking. I haven’t been berry picking in a few years but have so been thinking about it lately. Thanks for sharing.
I’m hoping that this year we can get some decent blackberries. My OH always puts bullocks in the field where the best ones usually are, so not great for taking a young child blackberrying into . Hope you get chance to go pick some fruit soon
I haven’t done pick your own strawberries but we did the pick your own apples which was great fun. It looks like you had a great time.I love the carwash comment. They notice the funniest things at that age.
Ooh never been somewhere else to pick apples. Luckily we’ve got dessert and cooking apple trees on the farm, so can get them from there.
I’ve taken my son blueberry picking when he was small. That was at least 12 years ago! Aha! Mine loves strawberries, but he’ll only eat them dipped in some sugar :\
We always used to have ours with sugar over, but never do now. My OH has condensed milk which is really sweet anyway
I love N’s enjoying the car wash face! How great that he resisted gorging himself on strawberries – what a good boy. Thanks for linking up and sharing with Country Kids.
He does quite often do what he’s told, but I was surprised and impressed. Maybe if he’d eaten more there, he’d have got less stroppy on sharing them out!
That is so adorable my kids are old now but hopefully the new baby and I will go to pick some strawberries son
Ooh do when you get the chance. It’s such a short season though.
What a great helper! I’m so impressed he didn’t eat any- I’m ashamed to say last time we went my daughter came back red faced despite my best efforts. I was pretty relieved she was below counter height so her crime went undetected! That’s so funny him thinking the punnet was just for him. Got to love child logic! #countrykids
I think your daughter’s more normal. I would think these places expect to lose some given the number of children who go and pick. Mind you, N wasted a lot by picking them off only half ripe. I had to remind him to check before picking them!
Your little boy is just so adorable!! I love his photos!!
Thanks, much appreciate your comment. Obviously I’m biased, but I agree!
We have a strawberry farm not to far from us. When I taught preschool, every year, we would take the kids to pick strawberries. Just as much fun as an Easter Egg Hunt, I think!
I think you’re right, and much healthier. I think my son understands fruit picking a bit more as he sees the item growing and understands harvest. He’s not good at searching for items.
OMG how cute!!! This is on my list for sure! I’ve always wanted to go strawberry picking, and now after reading this post, I’m going to try to find a farm near me 🙂
I used to pick strawberries all time with my mom and grandma when I was little. I haven’t had a chance to do this with my kids yet but after reading this I’m going to check and see if there are any local places doing this so I can let them experience something I always enjoyed as a kid.
We used to pick strawberries, blueberries and cherries every year. That was so much fun and so was turning them into desserts!
Nothing like having the fresh ones, right? 🙂
Your post reminded me of our Summer Capital here in the Philippines, Baguio.
Awe! He really looked like he enjoyed it. He also looked like he wasn’t too happy to leave. I hope you will take him back their soon.
How cute!! Looks like he enjoyed it a lot. I want that tractor for myself.. lol
That looks like so much fun. I want to do that this year with my daughter.
Strawberry picking is so much fun with kids 🙂 So adorable too… thanks for sharing!
Oh what a lovely post! I have great memories of strawberry picking as a child and can’t wait to take LP! x
This is the best!! Its fun for the kids and it supports local farming! A win win all around!
We went last year for the first time to pick strawberries. Great idea! Great day trip for the family. We have a few farms within 30-45 minutes so its not too bad for us, luckily. My youngest LOVES strawberries so she had a blast!
Aren’t fresh strawberries the best? And I find when my kids pick their own food they eat it better. That looks like fun!
We do not have any strawberry farms around us.. but we love strawberries and buy them all year round.
I adore pick your own produce! The experience alone is worth it all!
Definitely. It’s hard to know when to stop otherwise you always end up with a glut. Need to clear freezer space first.
We’re PYO addicts. Go almost every weekend during the season – strawberries, raspberries, cherries – love them!
Looking forward to the raspberries as the ones in the shops this year haven’t been great – apart from M&S ones. Think we might get addicted too!