#3BirdsBerryFarm gets two thumbs up!

I love to get fresh fruits and flowers for my jellies and jams... So far this year I have collected Lilacs, Violets, Honeysuckle, Strawberries, and now blueberries. It's been years since I have been out blueberry picking...since I was a teenager actually, but I finally heard about a berry farm that is near me and the berries are ripe for the picking!   

I took the kids out to 3 Birds Berry Farm today to pick our blueberries.  They have Blackberries, Blueberries, and Raspberries and they are all in season now, though the blackberries will probably only be around for another 3-5 weeks.  The kids managed to cover the bottom of their buckets with berries long enough to get a stamp and a free book, then they ate most of what they picked and hung out with some other kids in a mulch/dirt pile that is complete with shovels and trucks while I finished picking the berries.   At Noon I had managed to pick about a gallon and a half... so I checked in with the guy I got my buckets from and he said I was welcome to keep picking to try to finish my second gallon.  As the last of the other pickers were leaving the same gentleman even came out to help me finish my picking.  (I will not be making a habit of staying late, but I was glad to be extended the courtesy on my first visit and even more excited to get a little extra help!)  

I do recommend getting to the berry farm as early as possible so that there is plenty of fruit and the picking goes faster... or bring a friend...hehehe...I would say it took me about three hours to pick two gallons...that being said...picking started at 7am and I didn't get the kids moving until about 9am so we didn't arrive when the bushes were at their fullest... but we made it and we got what we went for...so our adventure was a success!  Below is a picture of the berries I collected.  I was given the tip *Pour the berries on baking sheets in a single layer and leave on the counter for 24 hours to finish ripening before using or freezing them  and they will have an even better flavor!  It took me a lot of trays, plates, cake pans...lol...but I got them all spread out with a little strategic stacking!

On a side note -It was challenging keeping an eye and an ear out for the three kids while picking, but the lay of the land did make it possible and the dirt pile kept them well very entertained.  Also, berries take sunlight to ripen and therefore there is not much shade or reprieve from the heat. I was very impressed that the berry farm provided water, sunscreen and bug spray and it was available for the pickers to use as needed! (I couldn't find my bug spray before we left and we ran out of water waaaay before I was done picking berries so we were very lucky and thankful that the owners were a little better prepared than me!)  

Now that this adventure is complete I can get my jams made and ready to be moved for market by Wednesday and I can check out a couple of new cake recipes I found too!