A Day on the Farm

Today I decided that I was going to brave the impending thunderstorm and drive about an hour from my apartment to a local farm. After all, it's strawberry picking time, and there's nothing better that I can imagine than fresh-picked strawberries.

The farm is called Alstede, and it's near the town of Chester. It's a beautiful sleepy farm community, and the drive was gorgeous. The farm itself is well taken care of and made up nice for the visitors, and you feel right at home.

I paid 75 cents for a cardboard picking flat, and off I went up the hill to the strawberry rows. I've never seen such beautiful strawberries, fat and juicy and teasing my senses. The whole area smelled of strawberry fragrance. The farm has signs posted warning not to eat any strawberries until your flat has been weighed, and it sure is hard to comply.

It only took me about half an hour to get a whole flat filled, and it came to somewhere around seven pounds of berries. I put them in my car so I could take a look at the animals and shop in the little market they have set up. I petted the goats and talked to the bunnies before wandering into the shop.

The little shop has all kinds of local produce, but also home baked pies, quiches, and breads. They have jams, jellies, and butters made nearby. Fresh apple cider and eggs wait in the coolers. And the best part? The ice cream. A scoop of strawberry cheesecake ice cream was the perfect way to end the day.