A berry good day

By CHEN MAY YEE

Last update: July 4, 2009 - 12:42 PM

A berry good day

Last Sunday was a glorious day to go strawberry-picking. So that's what we did.

My husband (the planner) called ahead. One farm said they had a long line of cars waiting to get in. Another said their fields were pretty picked over and to come back another day.

We ended up at Lorence's Strawberries just outside Northfield.

It was perfect. No wait. Just drive right up and park.

Nothing but blue sky, strawberry fields, a table and a set of scales.

(As you Cribsheet readers know from my previous zoo post, I like my outings simple with no side shows.)

One of several perky young people gave us a cardboard box and assigned us a row. They demonstrated how to sweep aside the leaves to find the berries. Slip the strawberry stem between two fingers. Cup the strawberry in your palm. Then pull.

We came home with 8 pounds of sweet and juicy fruit, with none of that forced ripened texture of the grocery store variety. And you can't beat $1.50 a pound.

CHEN MAY YEE

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