Going a'pickin'

Dave and I spent all morning today picking fruits and vegetables out in the corn. It was awesome.

First, we stopped at a you-pick raspberry patch near Marengo. We tried to visit this one last season, but too late. This year we were right on time, as we were able to pick three full pints in about 15 minutes!


Unfortunately, the mosquitoes at this farm were INSANE. The most insane I've seen in years. So we tried to pick really quickly and get the heck out of there. They've got beautiful grape vines that will yield fruit in early September, so we'll have to come back in another three or four weeks.

Our second stop was Susie's Garden Patch near Marengo. We visited this once last year with Tiffany and Nick, but I haven't been back since. We filled a half-bushel with green peppers, hot peppers, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and scallions.

I've picked some of those items before, but it was the first time I've ever picked carrots and scallions. Susie's directions for picking are...hmm. I think "vague" is the word. So I had to identify the plants, then pull them up! Luckily I was right. The carrots were really fun, and the bunny got a huge pile of carrot tops when we got home.

Last stop was my beloved Valley Orchard, an apple orchard with some fruit and vegetables, as well. I like to come for the apples, stay for the berries. Jackie and I went about three weeks ago, but the apples weren't ready yet. This time we got the last of the blueberries, the first of the blackberries, and the last of the Early Gold apples.

Needless to say, this was an awesome, awesome day. Dave and I had an epic lunch when we returned - sliced apples with Italian cheese, plus a salad with raspberries, walnuts, and bleu cheese. Gah!

And it doesn't stop there. I'm going to a friend's house for a barbecue tonight, and I'm bringing a wicked potato salad - a recipe that was listed in my CSA newsletter. CSA potatoes, cucumbers, and green beans, plus tarragon I grew myself!

And, of course, I've got to do something with all these berries, so I am also making a berry tart. Mmm!

Well, time to go finish the tart, and also to freeze some of this stuff for later. Gotta love summer!