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.

Strawberry Picking

My cousin, Megan and I went strawberry picking for the 4th year in a row last Tuesday. The season started a couple weeks early this year and I didn't have anyone to watch Mallory so knowing her love for strawberries and being outside I figured I'd chance it and take her along.

This farm also has a small petting zoo and some great play structures, so she was thrilled from the start.

Here she is laughing at the "go"s.

Waiting to be taken to the field.

Her eyes are closed ... wonder where she gets that from.

Mallory & Megan

"Oooh, dog!"

I should have known I'd have nothing to worry about. Literally SECONDS after reaching the field she bent down, picked and ate a strawberry. Unfortunately, I wasn't quick enough with the first one and she ate the stem too. Eh, well, she didn't seem to mind.

She got the hang of picking, but somehow none of her strawberries made it in the flat.

Trying to sneak one I had picked...

I had a suspicious amount of straw in my flat when I got home and started washing the strawberries ... couldn't figure out how it got in there.

...full tummy, getting tired and a little bored, but still cute as heck...

She perked up when we got back to the farm and FED the "go"s.

...on to the play structures...

By the time we left she didn't want help climbing the stairs.

14 pounds of strawberries and lots of fun later...

...she was one exhausted girl.

She got a nap, but I had lots of work to do:

19 jars of freezer jam, 6 containers in the freezer and a fresh strawberry pie!