Strawberry Picking 2011

We waited patiently (mostly) all year and it finally came - strawberry season! This was my cousin's and my 5th annual trip and it was another great day. Mallory had a great time last year (and she was such a good girl!) and we've been talking about this day for weeks - there was no way she was staying home!

Mallory was so excited!

She was jabbering in the car and at one point I caught something about the goats and how "their tummies were grumbling, better feed the goats!"

"Here, Momma, take a picture!"
(with a goat??)

"Icky! He 'wicked' my hand"

"Ohh, it's okay goat, my feed you again soon."

Off to a good start...

"Here Megan, yous a try one?"

Crazy huge - it was like four strawberries in one!

After 30 minutes...

it appeared most of the strawberries Mallory picked ended up in her mouth...

Wearing the evidence on her face. :)

She was much more interested in helping Megan than her Momma. :)

"Wook! Megan! A tractor! Here it comes!"

(Megan saw a lot of tractors...)

She was happy to get our bag since we left it at the beginning of the row.

Our haul.
20+ lbs.

I made freezer jam and packed the rest in the freezer
for smoothies and other goodies. Mmm.

Here's a bakers dozen ... total we ended up with 25 jars

The best part ... every time I use the jam or make a smoothie with our strawberries, I'll remember Mallory dancing around between the rows, pointing at tractors, using the flag markers as swords or twirling batons and, of course, I'll remember the smile on her face while she was shoving a giant, juicy strawberry into her mouth. Five years? I see a bit of a tradition forming - we'll see if Abby makes the cut next year. Hee hee.