Strawberry Picking

We have lived in the Houston area for about 20 years (minus the 4 years in VA) and I never knew there was a place here to pick strawberries. One August (many years ago) we went to pick blueberries (or was it blackberries?) and we almost died passed out from heat stroke and dehydration.  So we never did THAT again.  There was absolutely nothing fun about picking berries in 107 degree weather.

However, every Autumn, when my bloggy and real life northern friends visit the apple orchards, I get a little jealous.  It is a "happy for them, sad for me" kind of jealous.  It's HOT here.  We don't grow apples in South Texas.  So that whole fall, boot wearing, apple picking experience doesn't happen here.  Sad, isn't it?

Anyway, back to the strawberries.  One of my facebook friends had posted about picking strawberries in Houston and I quickly did some research and made a plan.

We went super early to avoid both the crowds and the heat.  But the only peanut that wanted to get up early on a Saturday morning was Kate.  Our plan worked as we were the first ones there and had a few minutes to kill before the strawberry patch opened up...

Kate had fun with these wooden things to pass the time until we could pick some berries:)

We were the first ones out in the fields and had them to ourselves for a little while.

We had such a great time.  It was breezy and not too hot.  We had the fields to ourselves and we discovered a fabulous little produce market inside. They sold THE BEST little fried fruit pies we have ever had.  In fact, Dave and Will drove back for some more last weekend!

I think this will become a new summer tradition for us.

And belive it or not, we ate BOTH buckets that weekend.  They were delicious!