On this hot and sticky day that it was here in Toronto, we met up with some other families to go strawberry picking in fields Brampton. I have to say that it took me back to my childhood of picking strawberries on a Saturday morning, eating more than we picked until we were nearly sick of them.
We took off for the farm in about midmorning, loaded Magdalene into the carrier for a nap while we took a tractor ride out to the fields of berries where there were throngs of people picking. There were so many berries you could stand in nearly one place and pick a whole basket. They were huge and juicy and soft. Gabriel was more into saying "picking strawberries" with his toddler gusto than actually picking them. In fact, he didn't even eat any! But he loved to say strawberry and he loved most of all the tractor. It was a mission keeping him in one place and away from the tractor long enough to pick a basketful and by the end I was dripping with sweat from carrying a warm Maggie on my back and running after Gabriel, but it was worth it!
I just have to say that I was really thankful to be with other mamas while there so they could help us get up and off of the tractor and carry a basket or so. Sometimes navigating with two kids is a real challenge when you don't have a stroller. It was clear that by the end, the children were done, and so was I. As I loaded up the car and got the kids diapers changed, etc. things were starting to fall apart. So, thank you to the perfect stranger with her two daughters who helped me untangle Magdalene from the carrier and hush her to get her settled so I could change the kids. Thank you sooooo much! It reaffirms my belief that there really are good people out there who are willing to give a struggling mama a hand! Phew!
One thing to note is that these strawberries don't last long, so you've got to get on it with eating them, making something with them or freezing them. They are a bit more tart but lovely with a little bit of sugar. But don't let them sit around for long, not like that is usually a problem!
Don't you love how having children really makes you stop and take in a season in a really big way? I mean, I hardly ever did this kind of thing before we had kids. But it's really neat showing them where things come from and eating food that is so utterly fresh. So very much looking forward to raspberries again this year too! And maybe even peaches? Let me tell you, there is nothing quite like a soft, sweet, juicy Ontario peach! Nothing!
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