Strawberry picking in the pouring rain
The hazy images dancing in my brain of what life on the farm, in particular, life with my family on the farm, looks like, may need a bit of adjusting. Last year, everything went according to plan. We set out for the farm to pick strawberries, and after a few glorious hours of basking in the sun and snacking on warm berries, the sunset bled down on my happy golden girls.
This year the scene was a little different.
It was chilly and wet, and there was a threat of a serious thunderstorm that we had to out-pick. On the plus side, we were the only nutjobs people picking on this stormy 50 degree day. And that waving wheat sure smelled sweet as the wind blew in before the rain (Oklahoma fans in the house?)
Our little farm hands were game and smiled, at least for a few minutes. That’s about how long it took for the first drips of cold rain to trickle down their necks and into their shoes. But we pressed on. There was no time to stop and taste the berries; we had a box to fill before lightening put an end to all this farming fun.
Maybe I was a little tough on my pickers, what with fingers turning blue and lips chattering, but I had this idea in my head, this sunshiny, farm-freshy ideal to be lived up to. Besides, I wanted those berries. So no, that thunder clap was not too close. And no, that cow is not mooing extra loud because he got hit by lightning. Less questions, more picking.
Cold day aside, we were lucky for the chance to pick berries, albeit in the snow, up hill, both ways. Just days after we picked, the farm got drenched with almost 3 inches of rain, decimating the berry patch and forcing other, less hearty CSA members to go strawberry-free.
Meanwhile, we lucky ones dried off, warmed up, and bellied up to a box filled with the delicious fruits of our labor.
12 Replies to “Strawberry picking in the pouring rain”
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those berries look yummy!
i am so sick of the rain and the cold. umm… what happened to june?
I would think it was well worth all the picking in the cold for those berries! 🙂
I’m sick of the rain and cold too!
Love the “race against the storm” narration. I have to say though that I have been LOVING the afternoons storms…very Southeast and summer camp-esque. Reminds me of my childhood summers spent in NC.
Glad someone rescued those berries. I’m all for the rain and thunderstorms, it’ll be hot and dry soon enough I’m sure. Definintely been great for the garden!
Maybe it wasn’t the ideal berry picking secen but you made a memory they’ll enjoy for years, “remember when mom made us pick berries in the storm?”
Oklahoma fan, me
You are too funny! I love your writing and the play by play of life in Colorado! I miss those girls so much!!
I think that sounds like a lovely day. One of my favorite memories is of running around the gardens of Versailles with my husband in the pouring rain. We were the only ones outside, and we were freezing, but it was all ours to explore. I bet your girls will talk about the time they went berry picking in the rain for years to come!
what a character-building experience, lucky lucky kids.. (and mom..)
The strawberries look really good! Maybe there will be sun and blue skies when you start your travels. The pictures from this year and last year are adorable. Great post!!
Wow! What are you going to do with all of those? Freezing and recipes or just eating them fresh as quickly as possible?
Your berries look beautiful! Picking in the rain is a small price to pay for those delicious Monroe strawberries. We are keeping our fingers crossed for a second crop in the fall!
Those berries look great. Did you get what you wanted? Are your girls going to warm up? Was it worth it? Oh! Yes! To all.