Sweet Summer Memories: Strawberry Picking

I love strawberries. Their vibrant red color, their fresh scent, and the taste as of sweet and tart as I sink my teeth into a juicy one. If I had to pick a favorite fruit, strawberry would be it.

My kids enjoy strawberries too… most of the time. They go on odd food strikes now and then, so I can never guarantee what these two will eat on a given day. One experience I want them to have growing up is picking strawberries.

I went strawberry picking once or twice as a child that I can remember. It was at a family friend’s farm so it was a little different. Still, I remember it being fun and eating fresh strawberries.

This summer’s strawberry harvest seemed a little later, but I kept an eye on a local pick your own farm’s website. Once they opened, we took an impromptu trip one weekend afternoon to Barthel’s Fruit Farm in Mequon.

I wore Xander on my back as we taught Rissa to look for big, red berries to pick and explained we needed to leave the others so they could continue growing.

We filled our box, the strawberries staining our fingers. We weren’t there long, but it was more fun than choosing a plastic carton at the grocery store.

At home the kids and I ate a few too many as we prepped them for freezing. Next year, we’ll go again. And maybe we’ll try growing some ourselves too.

Darcy Zalewski

Darcy is the founder of “Life With Darcy and Brian,” where she combines her love for education, board games, and crafting to create engaging learning experiences for kids. Her creative projects and writing have been featured in outlets like The Toy Insider, CafeMom, Mom.com, Parents.com, Country Living, and The Pioneer Woman.