Strawberry fields forever

Last year on Canada Day we checked out Krause Berry Farms out on the way to Aldergrove. And there began a berry picking addiction! Though I remembered that strawberries were just about done by July 1st of last year, this spring has been weird, so I was hoping that the berries would still be good. I checked out their website and there was only good news so to celebrate the first day of summer holidays, we went berry picking!

Based on my experience last year and on Thursday, I recommend trying to get to the fields as early as possible. For one thing, it's not hot yet (though, fyi, the Lower Mainland hasn't managed to get hot yet all spring/summer!) But we also found that there weren't very many people there yet at 10 am. On the other hand, by the time we were leaving (just before 11:30) the crowds were definitely there.

It took us about 45 minutes to pick about 17 pounds of strawberries. Considering we were just about done when a regular showed up and the kids in charge told him our field was closed because it had been picked over (so why did they let me in there!) I think that's pretty good!

David was amazing and probably picked 7 of those pounds himself. And kept exclaiming, "This is the best day EVER!" the whole time he was picking. Yes. I *am* cherishing these moments.

Next we headed to the raspberry fields. We couldn't find anyone to show us where to pick, so we just meandered down an aisle. It was the first day of raspberries and they weren't as good as last year. So we only picked about 6 pounds of raspberries then I said we could go.

Look at that bounty! I've just about got all our berries frozen now so as hopefully we'll head out again tomorrow morning and refill our buckets. I got a free deep freezer from our neighbors across the cul-de-sac and so I've got LOTS of plans for berries/fruit/veggies this summer!!