Berry Picking

Yesterday, the kids and I drove with our friend Amy Mangum out to Dr. Young's Pond Berry Farm in Angier, NC.  It was about a 40 minute drive from East Raleigh down I-40 to 210. We had so much fun.

We picked a number of blackberries from the thornless plants - maybe 1/3 bucket full. Jonah didn't really like how the overripe blackberries stained his hands. He and Elisabeth kept begging to go to blueberry bushes. So forth we went. The blueberry bushes were small but just the right size for the kids. And they were beautiful. (Sorry for the lack of my own pictures - I was more into enjoying myself than documenting it on this trip.) There was something about seeing all the fruit on the bushes of varying ripeness that was just lovely. It made me want to go grow something (besides the sunflower plants in my front yard). We had our blueberry pail filled about 3/4 of the way when we decided we should call it quits.

English: Blackberries (Rubus), ripe and unripe on a bush. Possibly a garden hybrid cultivar. Ukraine, the Crimea. Русский: Ежевика спелая и незрелая. Возможно, культивируемый сорт. Украина, Крым. Français : Mûres (Rubus), mures et vertes. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I paid about $13 for all the berries and we have been enjoying them immensely. I made the mistake of leaving the blueberries out after breakfast this morning and Jonah ate half of what was left in the container. He really likes blueberries!

English: (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After our berry picking, we drove into Angier and had a picnic at their downtown park, Jack Marley Park. The park had a great covered picnic shelter and two playgrounds. The weather was perfect, the company was the best, and fun was had by all.

We'll be going again soon at the rate these blueberries are disappearing!