I had my first native strawberries of the year today, and I’m very short on words to describe them. So small and juicy, each one tasting a little different than the one before. Little miracles on a stem, they are.
And it was a miracle we got to have any, at all. Drumlin Farm had pick-your- own-strawberries as part of their CSA today, but my littlest one had other ideas. Namely, running up and down the rows screaming until I picked him up, and then screaming if I moved in such a way as to suggest I might want to set him down. Did I mention he’s a screamer?
Carrying a 30-lb. toddler comfortably in one arm isn’t easy to do while picking tiny, delicate fruits from plants that only grow ankle-high. Most self-respecting people would have cut their losses right then and called it a day, but not me. No, I needed strawberries. Strawberries at any cost.
Thankfully, one of the other CSA pickers took pity on me and offered to fill my container for me. I was stunned. That’s not the way we treat each other here in the Northeast. By the time I finally thought of a way to graciously accept her offer, she was handing me a quart of the shiny little gems. If you’re reading this, kind stranger, thanks a million. Want to meet me there next week?
The little one has always shunned berries, as well as virtually all other fruit. Still, I gave him a strawberry to hold for the long, bumpy stroller-ride from the fields back to the car. I could see him bringing it to his mouth and touching it to his tongue for a millisecond. After a while, it seemed like maybe he had taken the tiniest nibble. Maybe. He continued clutching his fistful of strawberry pulp as I put him into his car seat. Seeing the puckered-up, pleasantly surprised expression on his face in the rear-view mirror as he took his first real tastes made it all worthwhile.
You mean little 'uns don't come with on/off switches?
Posted by: Inne | June 21, 2007 at 05:37 AM
This just made me chuckle... I'm trying to imagine carrying my 2 year old nephew around while picking strawberries... Yeah, that pictures drawn a blank, it's not possible to do. Haha :) Good thing for nice people!
Posted by: Jessica Schessler | June 21, 2007 at 09:00 AM
yum! I'm making strawberry shortcake this weekend using local strawberries, which are so much better than the large monstrosities from california. I'll admit I don't always find a huge difference in the taste of produce between local and far away (perhaps my palate isn't very developed) except the huge difference in strawberries.
BTW, your photos are getting much better, this one is very good.
Posted by: sunny12 | June 21, 2007 at 09:25 AM
Sunny12: I'm making strawberry shortcake, too. I need to pick more strawberries, though. We ate that whole quart already. (I think I'll bring the preschooler next time.) Thanks for the photo compliment! If only I could have gotten the autofocus to focus in on the correct strawberry.
JS: People at farmshares are nice. Maybe delicious food + no pesticides + long walk to fields = better mood.
Inne: I wish. I'd pay top dollar for that.
Posted by: Tammy | June 21, 2007 at 01:02 PM
well, I don't know if you did it on purpose or not, but I like the composition of the photo, the contrast of the colours (the blue of the carton against the brilliant red of the strawberries on the drab brown picnic table). There are also nice clean lines that help the focus.
Posted by: sunny12 | June 21, 2007 at 02:17 PM
Babies and strawberries are a good combo, aren't they? Particularly since strawberries STAIN. You might wonder how I know that. Why do so many delicious and allergenic fruits make so much damn laundry??
Now I want to go to a pick your own strawberry place. I could let the baby sit on the ground between the rows and eat dirt and strawberry leaves.
Posted by: heath | June 21, 2007 at 09:56 PM