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Getting Families Outside, One Adventure at a Time

fruit picking

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, RECIPES, SUMMER
Blueberry Picking with Kids
- July 7, 2020
Blueberry season is in full swing and U-Pick fruit farms are the perfect place to go with your little ones! U-Pick farms are exactly what they sound like – you pick your own produce. Children will love this hands-on learning experience and will be asking to go back year after year! Today, Megan Rigdon, Maryland photographer and mom of 3 is here sharing all the tips you need know for blueberry picking with kids. Megan’s family owns a U-Pick farm, so she knows what she’s talking about! Plus, she’s included a great list of blueberry-inspired books to read before you go and an awesome recipe for a tasty treat made by her kids with the berries they picked!

Blueberry season

Blueberry plants (Vaccinium spp.) produce white or pink flowers in spring. The flowers are pollinated by bees and soon after, small, green berries form. As the berries mature, they turn from green to pale blue and eventually to a dark blue or even purple color. How do you know when they’re ripe? Taste them! Ripe berries will be soft and sweet!

Blueberry season and harvest in the US varies by state, but runs from May to September, starting with Southern states (Florida and Texas) and moving North. Depending on where you live, your blueberry season may have already passed or the blueberries might not be ready! Check your local harvest calendar to find out when peak blueberry picking season is in your state.

Children’s books about blueberries

With every adventure, I love to incorporate children’s books because that is just how I roll! It is a good idea to read one before you go blueberry picking with kids so your children can get excited about what’s to come. Keep these books around your house a few weeks after picking, too. I bet your kids will go back to the books to reminisce about all the fun they had at the blueberry farm. Below are just a few of our favorite books about blueberries.
Ready for an adventure

Our family has a U-Pick blueberry field in Harford County, Maryland. When summer arrives, my children know it’s almost time to pick blueberries at their grandparents’ farm. By the last week of June, the blueberries are ripe and ready! We read a few of our favorite blueberry-themed books and even wrote about how excited we were to go picking in our summer journals.

Tips for blueberry picking with kids

Here are a few things to consider when planning a trip to go blueberry picking with kids:
- Call or check your local farm’s website or Facebook page on the day of picking. Confirm the picking hours and to see if conditions have changed. The farm could have had a lot of people that day or in the days before and there may not be many berries left. Also, weather conditions can change the timing of when berries may be ready to be picked.
- Plan on going to pick blueberries in the early morning or evening hours to beat the summer heat.
- Most farms supply their own buckets for picking and weighing the berries. If you use the farm’s buckets, you will need to transfer them into your own basket or bucket when you leave. I do not recommend bags because berries tend to get squished.
- Have your child wear play clothes. The farm could be muddy from summer storms or blueberry juice could make its way onto clothes.
What to pack for blueberry picking with kids

Make sure you take some time to pack for your blueberry picking trip. Below are things I would make sure to pack in addition to the items already in your diaper bag or purse when you go blueberry picking with kids:
- Water – Make sure you and your little ones stay hydrated!
- Sunscreen – it is a good idea to put sunscreen on your children before you head to the farm. This will give the sunscreen time to soak in and then, once you get there, that task is already complete!
- Insect repellent – it could be buggy out there!
- Blanket for a rest break – lay a blanket in the shade so that anyone who is with you can take a break
- Stroller or wagon – a stroller or wagon can be very helpful when hauling the buckets back when finished and also useful for holding water bottles, snacks, diaper bags and oh… the kids too!
It’s picking time

When you arrive at the U-Pick blueberry farm, give each child their own bucket. Explain to them to pick the berries that are ripe. They should be blue and will fall off the stem easily. I always tell my children to not eat the berries unless they check with me first, so we can confirm they’re ripe (sweet, not sour). Once they know what to pick and look for, let them go at it! I recommend laying out a blanket in the shade for the children to be able to take breaks if needed. Fill your baskets and enjoy the adventure!

Blueberry treats

On the ride home, we love to come up with all kinds of delicious treats that we can make with the blueberries we picked. Blueberries are incredibly versatile, so possibilities are endless. We came up with so many ideas ranging from blueberry waffles, blueberry ice cream to blueberry crumb pie. YUM! We ultimately decided to make blueberry yogurt popsicles with our haul! These are such a cool and refreshing treat after all of our hard work! The best thing about this recipe is that it only calls for a few ingredients and the children can help you make it.

Blueberry yogurt popsicles

The recipe for the blueberry yogurt popsicles is easy peasy! You will need only four ingredients- blueberries, honey, milk, and yogurt. My kids couldn’t wait to help with this treat! Measure out 1.5 cups of blueberries and two tablespoons of honey and place them in a saucepan. Cook the blueberries and honey over medium heat until the berries start to burst. Leave them on the stove for about 3-5 minutes and then take the pan off of the heat and allow time for it to cool.

While the blueberry mixture cools, mix together the yogurt and milk. Then, fold in the cooled blueberry mixture into the yogurt and milk. Make sure not to mix them too much because then the whole thing will turn purple. Instead, fold the two mixtures together just a few times to create a swirly pattern. Finally, pour it into the popsicle molds, add popsicle sticks, and freeze.

When your popsicles are frozen, it’s time to enjoy! My kids could not wait to try their homemade blueberry yogurt popsicles! They absolutely enjoyed every bite of them and were so proud of all of their hard work!

Benefits of blueberry picking with kids

There are so many benefits to taking your child to pick blueberries. You are supporting a local farm and getting to spend quality time outside with your kids. Your little ones get to witness the process of how the berries grow on a bush, turn blue when ripe and ready to be picked. Incorporate a few of the recommended books and you’ve got an educational activity for kids of all ages. But, the best part about blueberry picking with kids…turning your berries into something scrumptious and enjoying the fruits of your labor together!

What are you waiting for?! Start planning your trip to pick blueberries with your kids today!

Have you ever picked blueberries with kids?

About the author

Megan is a mother to three energetic children and lives on their family farm in Harford County, Maryland. She is a lifestyle family photographer and a lover of joyful and colorful images. Megan has a degree in Early Childhood Education and taught Kindergarten prior to having her own family. They spend as much time as possible outdoors exploring the farm and going on adventures. Raising chickens, fishing, gardening, camping, and crafting are just a few of her favorite things to do with her family.

You can find more from Megan in the following locations:
Professional Instagram: @meganrigdonphotography
Personal Instagram: @megmrigdon
Website: meganrigdonphotography.com
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Strawberry Picking with Kids
- May 3, 2017
Strawberry picking with kids is a fun and delicious outdoor activity to do with your kids in the summer. Our strawberry season in the Midwest starts around the end of May, just when it’s getting hot. Freshly-picked strawberries taste so much better than anything you can buy at the store and are perfect for making desserts, jams or just popping in your mouth. From what to pack, what to wear, when and where to go, we’re here to help you with everything you need to know before you go strawberry picking with kids.

Strawberry picking season

Strawberry picking with the kids is one of my all-time favorite spring activities. Every May, I stalk the “Pick Your Own” online calendar of our favorite local farm and dream of the day when we get to gorge ourselves on fresh strawberries. This May will be our 4th year going to the same place to pick strawberries (as well as peaches, blackberries, apples and pumpkins) and I love that my kids are familiar with the orchard and the “pick our own” process.

The first year we went strawberry picking, I had no idea what to expect. I felt a bit unprepared for the blazing sun, mud and entire picking process. But now that we’ve gone fruit picking a number of times, through various fruit seasons and developmental phases (the baby, toddler and preschooler stages), I feel like a pick your own expert! Here are a few recommendations and tips to ensure that your strawberry picking experience is fruitful! (see what I did there?)

1. Find a local farm & choose the right time

There’s a lot to be said about choosing the right “pick-your-own” farm for you and your kids. You can find most information on pick-your-own farms in your area with a quick internet search, or by going to pickyourown.org, where you can search farms by county (although not all local farms are listed). I highly recommend calling the farm ahead of your visit and asking about the pick your own process, busy hours, prices, etc. With little kids, choose a time that’s the least busy and works with your kids’ schedules.

We like going first thing in the morning to avoid the heat and the crowds. We usually get to the farm when they open on a random weekday and we have the entire strawberry field to ourselves for an hour or so. That gives the kids plenty of time to run around without bothering others before it gets too hot mid-day. If you’re in it for the photos, go in the evening when crowds are dying down and make good use of the golden hour in the fields. Harsh mid-day sunlight is tough when taking photos, but you can make it work.

When you call the farm, also be sure to ask: (a) if the farm provides baskets or if you need to bring your own (baskets with handles are a must); (b) the price for fruit and if they accept credit cards (some small farms don’t); (c) if/which pesticides they use on their crops (particularly if you’re organic).

2. What to take

Strawberry picking is very fun (and very delicious), but it can be hot, sunny and muddy. Make sure you dress your kids (and yourself) appropriately in clothes that are cool enough to wear in the sun, but ok to get really (REALLY) dirty. If you go strawberry picking soon after a heavy rain, expect it to be incredibly muddy. Strawberry vines are on the ground and kids have no problem sitting, kneeling or laying down right in the mud to get the best berries. Your kids’ clothes and shoes might get caked in mud and covered in strawberry juice stains. Bring an extra pair of clothes for the ride home and let them wear boots or Crocs/Natives or something that can be put in a plastic bag and then cleaned off with a hose when you get home.

Make sure to lather the kids with safe sunscreen before you go and reapply if you stay out in the fields for a while. If you’re not into sunscreen, dress them in UVF-protected clothing and a kids’ sun hat. Strawberries grow very close to the ground, so there’s no overhead protection from the sun. Bring along a pair of sunglasses for the kids and/or a hat. Most farms allow pickers to eat as many strawberries as they want as they pick (which is amazing!!), so unless your kids don’t like strawberries, you probably won’t need to bring snacks along, but a big bottle of water is encouraged. Good for re-hydrating and quick clean-ups on the go (also bring wet wipes).

3. Prep the kids

Don’t assume that just because your kids have eaten strawberries in the past that they’re qualified for strawberry picking. My kids had only ever seen red strawberries, but that didn’t stop them from picking all the small white/green unripe berries they could find. We had to have a quick team meeting to re-strategize and explain what was ripe to pick. Before getting in the fields, let your kids know only to pick the red strawberries. Tell them not to pick any that are smashed, mushy (overly-ripe) or covered in mud. Most farms grow their strawberries in elevated mounds covered with a tarp that keeps the berries off the ground and out of the mud. It never hurts to remind the kids which berries to pick and which to pass on.

Also, advise your kids to be kind to the plants. Don’t step on them (step/jump over them to get to the next row), don’t pick berries you don’t intend to eat/keep, leave unripe berries on the vine and try not to crowd others. Let them know that they’re allowed to eat as many berries as they want, but encourage them to eat the entire berry once they’ve taken a bite out of it.

Once you’re in the fields, there probably won’t be any bathrooms, so make sure the kids go before heading out to pick.

4. Let them run wild

Strawberry picking is a great opportunity to give your kids a bit of independence and let them do things their own way. As I mentioned above, strawberries grow low and you can see a very long way when picking. It’s okay to let them explore a bit on their own, rows away. Give each kid a basket and monitor their picking. Also, allow them to choose berries on their own and take ownership of their baskets. Trust me, your kids will appreciate the freedom and be so proud of themselves and the strawberries they picked.

5. Enjoy your berries

If you’ve never had freshly picked strawberries straight from the vine, you are going to be blown away. They are so sweet, juicy, and soft. Nothing like those cold rock hard berries you buy in the grocery store. The big red strawberries you bring home are going to be uber-ripe and ready for immediate consumption. Not totally necessary (unless your drive home is a beast and it’s miserable hot), but it’s never a bad idea to bring a cooler along so you can throw your strawberries on ice when you get back to the car.

Once you get home, immediately soak the berries in cold water and chill them in the fridge to keep them fresh longer. If you’re not going to be able to use/eat them right away, hull them and freeze them. The biggest/ripest berries are best eaten plain (or maybe with a little chocolate sauce or a dollop of whipped cream). Smaller/firmer berries are great for pies and jams. Frozen berries are perfect for throwing in smoothies or turning into popsicles or ice cream. The possibilities are endless!

Have you gone strawberry picking with your kids?