As a Mom of 2 girls, I try to get creative in the summertime with coming up with various activities to do. It can get challenging because some of the activities can be costly or dependent on good, cooler weather for a more pleasurable time. One of my favorite activities is picking blueberries. I’m always able to remember the time of year for blueberry picking because it is around the 4th of July. Here are some of my top reasons why I love this summertime activity:
* It allows my family to see where their food comes from. Kids need to know that food isn’t made in the grocery store and they need to see the plants that produce our fruits and vegetables.
* It is a fun, “active” activity so it gets the family outside and moving.
* I like to support our local farmers.
* It is an opportunity to learn more. The day that we went blueberry picking, the farmer was available to tell us about the different varieties of blueberries. I didn’t even know that there were different varieties! He told us to come back the following week so that we could taste the difference in the blueberries. I am curious if I will be able to tell a difference so I definitely plan to go back and try.
* We can plan ways to include the blueberries, which again gets the family in the kitchen. We plan to make blueberry pancakes, smoothies, blueberry muffins, include with a fruit salad, and add on top of yogurt.
* It’s always fun to sample the fresh blueberries!
If you are looking for an activity for your family, it’s not too late for you to experience this summertime fun. For more information about finding a local farm closest to you, check the website www.ncfarmfresh.com.
