a morning of strawberry picking

This morning, the boys and I ventured out to Arlington with a neighbor friend who introduced us to Kathleen's Gardens. I don't know what I was more excited about, seeing the views of the countryside and the industrial and hobby farms or getting to pick strawberries with the boys. Both were a true delight!

Before stopping at the strawberry patch, we pulled off at the Hillcrest Cafe for a breakfast of omelets, pancakes and sausage. Omelets for Ann and me. Pancakes and sausage for the boys. If you're not in a hurry and wanting some old-fashioned country cooking, add this place to your "to visit" list when you're in the Southwestern part of Minnesota.

The prices can't be beat and the quality is top-notch. Guaranteed to make you want to eat every single bite off of your plate. :)

Part of the enjoyment of the meal was watching the locals sip their coffee and munch on their eggs and toast while they talked about how there crops were doing this year and what the weather was supposed to be doing tomorrow and the next day.

Following the quaint, cafe visit, we drove down long straight roads surrounded on both sides by flowing cornfields and soybean plantations to get to our final destination--Kathleen's Gardens.

I learned some things from Ann along the way (who grew up on a Minnesota farm)...for instance, the corn this year is running three weeks behind. I learned what each farm that we passed was purposed for: crops, dairy, turkey, pigs. The big crops that we passed today were soybeans and corn. Wheat and beets are also large producers in this state.

 

It's strawberry picking time! 

 

To remember: Cooper spent the majority of the time picking strawberries off the vines and popping them straight into his little mouth. The latter picture of him with his hand on his tummy was when he unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, poked his tummy and told me he was full and he was taking a poop. The next 10 minutes or so were completely peaceful as he stood there focused on nature and the task at hand. I think I got more strawberries picked in that 10 minutes than I did the rest of the time. ha! When he was done with his job, he grabbed one more strawberry off of a vine and proclaimed, "I weady to go home now. I tired. I take poop and need B." And that was that. Off he went to the car. :)

Tomorrow I am looking forward to taking these delicious strawberries and making several jars of strawberry rhubarb jelly with them. Yum! It will be my first time to experiment with canning. I can't wait!!! This might turn into a new love. ;)