Let's all go picking....

On Wednesday, my mom, the kids and I went blueberry picking at Mountain View Blueberry farm. I love this farm, this is our second year going. For us, it is close, only 15 minutes away, and I can't see the sense of driving an hour to pick fruit....that is no savings! Actually, we figured out that the frozen blueberries at Costco are cheaper per pound than the u-pick, but then you don't get all the lovely fresh ones :) So far we have had big bowls of plain blueberries, blueberry pancakes and blueberry muffins are on the baking plan for today! Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits and they are always too pricey for me in the store. I plan on going again next week to replenish my stash of fresh. We picked 11 pounds and I put one gallon-size bag in the freezer so far.

I really like taking the kids to see where food comes from...ok so everyone says this now, but it is important. Really, even when we have driven an hour out to a farm, it has been worth it. Last year when we went out to a pumpkin patch, they had a mini petting zoo and a hay bale maze/playground in a barn that the kids loved. Here is a link to WA state pick your own farms : http://www.pickyourown.org/WA.htm. I had no idea there were blueberry farms in Bellevue! And of course, supporting our local food producers is very important too.

So, if you are looking for a great activity, maybe pack a picnic lunch and head out to a farm to for some u-pick artichokes :)