Strawberry Picking

Prior to yesterday, our family had never been strawberry picking. Our first berry picking experience was several years ago to pick blueberries. Since then, we've graduated to blackberry and blueberry picking, since those two berries ripen around the same time in Tennessee. But strawberries are a May berry and May holds lots of things (school, for example) that have kept us from making this a part of our Fun Jar experience. A friend was the one who suggested strawberry picking for the first Friday of summer. It seemed like a perfect way to start summer: outside, with friends, gathering berries to grace our Memorial Day menu.

The reality of it? After an inauspicious start of clouds in the sky and rain sprinkling down as we arrived, it was a good trip. I quickly found that picking strawberries was different than blueberries or blackberries. Strawberries had one advantage (look for the bright red color to find a ripe berry) and one disadvantage (said berries are at ankle level) over their berry cousins that blend in more with green foliage, but are at a comfortable picking height. If you have younger children, I highly recommend strawberry picking. For a first berry picking outing with a two or three year old, make time in May for this.


The day stayed gray, but our spirits didn't. My girls quickly picked a gallon of berries and decided to help friends pick berries, play with the toddlers in our group and/or take a snack break. We headed to the strawberry farm early, so I didn't pack a lunch, but I did bring bottled water and enough granola bars for my children and then some. I also brought along some bottles of bubbles, which served to keep everyone from my eight year old to a friend's two year old happy and occupied while the moms chatted about the best way to use all of these strawberries (shortcake, muffins, frozen for smoothies, pureed for strawberry lemonade or margaritas).

This summer I'm trying something different and letting my daughters invite a friend to ride with us for Fun Jar activities. While we've done Fun Jar for years, I have rarely offered to bring any children other than my own. Organizing the activity and packing for my children has been all that I could handle. But my ten year old and eight year old are at particularly social stages, so hoping that one of their friends shows up isn't going to meet their needs or keep them happy this year. My first attempt at this yesterday went very well. The friend who joined my eldest daughter had a good time and so did my daughter. What I failed to think about and plan for was my middle daughter. Since I knew some of the families joining us, I should have seen that none of her friends were going to be there and tried to rectify that. She wasn't bitter or upset to not have a friend there, but she was more restless than her sisters. Next week, I'll do a better job of thinking about this in advance.

Finally, I thought this Fun Jar activity was a success partially because it got us out of the house on the first day of summer break, while still providing us with some much needed down time. We were home from the strawberry farm by 11:30 and were able to spend the afternoon reading, watching a movie and doing laundry (not fun, but necessary). And having strawberry lemonade with dinner last night and strawberry pancakes for breakfast this morning was a very nice side benefit!

The Summer Begins

The last day of school, instead of leaving me feeling nostalgic about my eldest child no longer being an elementary student, left me discombobulated and exhausted. This was not without reason. My 4th grader went in for a haircut two days before school let out, where the hairdresser informed me that she had head lice. (Don't worry, she's been treated.) My 3rd grader came down with strep throat less than twenty four hours before her sister's elementary school graduation. (Don't worry, she's on antibiotics.) My kindergartner was healthy and thankfully willing to roll with the punches as plan after plan changed leading up to the last day of school. (There's something to be said for being the laid-back last born.)

By the time the final half-day of school was over at 11:30, I wanted nothing more than a soaking bath and a long nap. Did I mention it was the start of summer break? That bath and nap would have to wait for a while.

Instead, I got to referee a fight between the eldest and middle, answer countless questions from the youngest and finally send my daughters to their rooms to clean since they couldn't be in the same room without arguing, snapping and verbally lashing each other. As I trudged up and down the basement stairs to wash yet another load of laundry, I fantasized about what summer break meant. At least I could sleep in tomorrow morning, stay in my PJs until noon and just hang out at home... and then I remembered - tomorrow we're going to pick strawberries. Seriously? To my fatigued mind, it sounded daunting to get us all up, dressed and in the van in time to beat the heat. But didn't my afternoon serve the purpose of reminding me why I needed Fun Jar activities in the first place? My imaginary morning in our PJs might bring me some rest, but relaxation was likely to be in short supply since my daughters had ably demonstrated their need to get out of the house with just a few short hours of summer vacation.

So I took a deep breath, put bottles of water in the fridge to chill in preparation for tomorrow's berry picking, invited a friend or two to join us and reminded myself that I felt exactly the same way this time last year. I need the Fun Jar as much as my daughters do. It saves me from myself. Last year, we had a single summer Friday between school's dismissal and a beach vacation. In spite of my reservations, I scheduled a trip to the park. And it went far better than I had anticipated. It got us out of the house. Everything still got packed. We were all happier. And it's my hope that the same will hold true tomorrow. Stay tuned for the post-berry recap. And if there's a week where our schedule matches yours, don't let little things like head lice, strep throat or fatigue keep you from coming. You'll find it's worth it - for you as much as your children.

Strawberry Picking on Friday, May 27

After calling nearly every strawberry farm in Middle Tennessee, I've found one that will have strawberries to pick on Friday.

Thank you, Circle S Farms! The farmer who called was very friendly and said that children are welcome. In fact, he laughed when I asked and said one reason they have strawberries to pick is to encourage children to come to their farm. In the past few years as I've taken my three girls to berry farms, this has not always been the case. It will be great to be somewhere that welcomes children!

They charge $2.75/quart and $10/gallon. No, that is not a typo! They work on an honor system and ask that you pick what you need and leave cash or a check in a secure lock box.

In an effort to beat the heat (but not leave home too terribly early on our first day of summer break), we'll leave here between 8 and 8:30 to head for the farm.

The Circle S Website has directions or you can map your own directions with their address: 1627 E. Old Laguardo Rd., Lebanon, TN 37087

Hope you'll join us!

Friday, May 28 Strawberry Picking

Trying to decide what to do with your first full day of summer vacation? Strawberry season is winding down, so we're planning to load up on fresh berries at a pick your own berry farm this Friday, May 28.

If you've never picked berries with your children, I can tell you that my girls love it. OK, they love it for about the first hour. After that, they tend to sit in the shade, sip their water and play while I finish gathering berries for cobblers, ice cream or muffins. But if your child is young enough to hang out in a sling or old enough to pick berries, this is a fun outing.

Pictures are from last year's blueberry and blackberry picking. (Don't worry, we'll still do that this year. Those berries ripen in mid to late June.)

If you are interested in joining us, let me know (shannontruss@yahoo.com) since I will call the farm Thursday to make sure berries are still on the vines.