Blueberry Picking

On Saturday we did our annual blueberry picking trip. I always think we will go several times a season, and back when I had two kids that actually happened, but that reality is becoming less and less...hence calling it the annual trip ;) Some friends of ours came to stay with us for the weekend and what better family fun than blueberry picking (or the zoo, which we hit up the next day)?

We actually managed to pick quite the haul of blueberries. We picked just shy of six pounds. Which was impressive, given that Callum ate basically everything he picked and I couldn't bend over to pick because of wearing Willa in the wrap. Really, we have Ian to thank for the bulk of that, though Isla picked a fair amount as well. 

This place has this really neat big tractor that they turned into a play structure. The kids really enjoyed themselves playing on it. And I tested out the strength of that little wagon while the kids were playing, by plopping myself down on it to rest. 

It was a fun time and I'm glad Ian got to join us this time, as oftentimes I go during the week and he doesn't get to join in on the fun...also known as kid wrangling. Because, well, Callum disappeared there for a minute and my mind always flashes to us being on the nightly news. Thankfully he was quickly located a couple isles over from the rest of us.

^^ Connor and Luca. He is Connor's oldest friends, as we all lived in Scotland and met when we were pregnant. And they moved to southern California about a year after we moved back. 

By the way, I don't remember fruit picking being a thing when I was a kid. The first time we went was when we lived in Scotland and Connor was a baby. Some friends invited us. Then we moved back to Modesto and blueberry picking was all the rage. And the thing is, I totally love it. That is all. 

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Blueberry Picking

I love blueberry picking. It's something I find fun and I just love to take the kids. I had never even heard of blueberry picking before we moved back here seven years ago...maybe it's more recently become a thing? Who knows. Anyway, I knew I wanted to get out there this year, before the season had passed and before it was unbearably hot. 

We've had something going on every day of summer break so far and Friday was our first day free. I thought we would relax a bit. But the kids woke up and were at each other all morning. Just endless fighting and whining and I knew we needed to get out of the house. So, I loaded them up and took them blueberry picking.

The blueberry picking itself was quite successful. Now that I have two children that don't just sit there and eat all they pick! We managed to go home with just over four pounds. But the third child...well, he ate everything he picked and we had to guard the other buckets from him!

Right when we were getting back to the barn from picking blueberries, I looked like a bit of a circus act. Callum was trying to run away from me to the playground. I was pulling the wagon and trying to manage everyone else. Then I ran into someone I knew who offered to help. I kindly asked that she keep an eye on Callum at the playground while I go pay. Which, I must say, mom solidarity is just the best. We moms should always be willing to help each other out, yet so often don't. But back to the story. 

After I paid, we went out to the playground. The older two ran off and Callum was in the sand box, so I planted myself there. I was staring at the sandbox, but really in a daze, trying to decompress from the morning's events. I watched a kid repeatedly throw sand in another kid's face and it wasn't until the other parent intervened that I realized the sand throwing kid was MY KID. I was a bit mortified that I was literally staring at it happening, yet did nothing. Well, long story short, no matter what I tried, the sand throwing (literally directly in other kids faces) kept happening, so we left. 

But the blueberry picking itself, well that was great. And the blueberries are delicious. So, I'm chalking it up to a win. 

^^ These two lazy bums had me pull them in from the field. I'm pretty sure this is where the circus act started. I was pulling the wagon with one hand and holding on to Callum with the other, as he kept running away. 

Now to eat all those blueberries, which is never hard for us.

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Blueberry Picking

^^ The dirty mouth is a dead giveaway that he was picking to eat, not to put in the bucket!

We hit the ground running when school got out and things haven't let up. The Saturday after school got out, we went blueberry picking as a family. It is always one of my favorite activities. The kids can pretty much freely roam, they can become one with the dirt should they please, there is a playground, a bounce house and more. Plus, we come home with tons of yummy blueberries!

Our first year blueberry picking was when Connor was Callum's age and I was pregnant with Isla. It is funny to watch the way the kids pick blueberries based on their age. Connor is at the age where he is serious about the job. He wants to make sure only the best are picked and that all make it in the bucket. Isla now has more make it in the bucket than she eats. And Callum, well he eats every single one he picks...and even eats the ones off the ground!

It was nice to go relatively early in the season, when it wasn't too hot out and there were still tons of blueberries on the bushes. We came home with 4 pounds and ate them all in a week.


And, just in case you are like me, here are some of our blueberry picking adventures from years past - 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012...and some strawberry picking in 2010 in Scotland. 

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Blueberry Picking

We went blueberry picking this past weekend and I am glad we did because we are so busy the next few weeks that I fear it may be the only time we were able to go. I just love blueberry picking (and any type of fruit picking for that matter) so much. It inspires to be be a better gardener...and that never really happens. But, back to blueberry picking. 

Everything was fine until Isla took about her first three steps and started complaining of getting dirt in her shoes. After dealing with that for five minutes, I offered to get her sandals out of the car. We changed her shoes and, of course, that did nothing to help the situation. And she couldn't sit on the ground because it was hot and blah, blah, blah. After so much complaining in such a small time period and her begging to be in the stroller, I finally obliged and put Callum in a carrier. Thankfully that quelched most of the drama. I say most because then, of course, Isla needed me to push the stroller from bush to bush, at her demand, so she too could pick blueberries. Next time I may just have her wear her rain boots and sweat it out! 

The place we go blueberry picking really is a destination, with plenty of other things to do. Isla happened upon a bunch of rolly pollies that kept her entertained for a while. And we managed to find a bush covered in butterflies. It was so cool. We got to see so many different ones. And Connor managed to touch one, which was hysterical because I don't know if I've ever seen him move so fast in his life. All in all, once we got past the first 10 minutes of drama, it was a pretty dang good time. 

And, just in case you are like me, here are some of our blueberry picking adventures from years past - 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012...and some strawberry picking in 2010 in Scotland. 

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And Blueberry Picking Season Has Begun!

 

I seriously love taking the kids out and going fruit picking. We've been blueberry, strawberry and apple picking numerous times. I just find it so fun. And so do the kids. Sure, Isla is still at the age that she wants to eat all that she picks. But it's clean (organic) and fresh. And the kids love being out in the sun and playing in the dirt. And I love coming home with a bunch of fresh, not to mention cheap, fruit.

When I saw that our favorite blueberry farm was opening for the season this past weekend, I knew we had to go. Connor remembers it from last year and was completely on board. I mean, there is a small putt putt golf thing there, a bounce house, a play structure and a boat in the middle of blue sand. It's a bit like a kids paradise. Of course, we make them wait to play until after the blueberries are all picked. Otherwise it would never happen!

 ^^ Connor took his blueberry picking responsibility very serious. He picked only the blue ones and did such a good job of not eating too many. 

 ^^ Isla, on the other hand, ate everything she picked, then tried coming after our buckets, but we kept her away. 

We managed to come home with almost five pounds of blueberries. Ian joked that would last us a day. But seriously, we go through blueberries and really any fruit at an insane rate in our house. And Connor is already planning on going back next weekend. I always say we are going to freeze some of the blueberries we pick, but they really don't ever last long around our house, so that never ends up happening. But maybe this is the year, now that Connor is fully on board with picking blueberries and not just eating them!

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Blueberry Picking

The kids and I went blueberry picking the other day. It is always one of the highlights of summer for me. Being outside, the kids eating copious amounts of blueberries straight from the source, me bringing home fresh, sweet blueberries. It really is a great time for me. And this year was the best yet. The kids are just getting easier and easier to do these types of things with.

At first I thought Connor would actually pick more blueberries than he ate. He really did get off to a good start. He must have overworked himself and worked up an appetite because he ended up eating every last blueberry that made it into his bucket! He tried coming for my bucket, but I wasn't allowing that.

Isla enjoyed plenty of blueberries as well. The difference is, she never even bothered to put any into her bucket! They just went straight to her mouth.

Isla's face was crazy dirty by the time we were done. In her defense, it wasn't just because of blueberries but because she was laying in the dirt (with wet blueberry face!) and playing while my mom and I picked blueberries. But, she was such a sight that the worker asked to take a picture of her! 

While out blueberry picking, I realized this is our fourth season at the same place, Jessop Farms. I really enjoy it out there and highly recommend it. If you want to look at some of our past visits, here is 2013 and 2012. And, can I say that looking at these past posts, my photography skills have definitely been improving.

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