Pumpkin and Berry Picking

Growing up, I can remember visiting the pumpkin patch at Young's Farm in the fall.  There would be a smattering of tall, tall sunflowers among the hundreds and hundreds of pumpkins.  There were wagon rides, zip lines in the hay bales, crafts, and fresh apple cider.  There were tweens waiting with their wagons to haul your pick to your vehicle for a couple bucks. 

Flashback! The kids were so little and so cute! You can tell Aubrey and Elaina are sisters.  And we miss Big D!

I am suddenly missing Young's Farm and sad that they closed down a couple years ago. 

Pumpkin patches are fun.

I think an orchard would be as well.  Only I've never been to one (at least that I can remember).  Berry farms (is that what they're called?) would be fun as well.  Only I've never been to one of those either.

But I have picked berries!

Here in Arizona, I feel like it is such a treat to be able to go blackberry picking.

If you hail from regions north of here, or perhaps parts of Finland, you are not allowed to laugh at how pathetic our berries are.  We take what we can get!

And smallish, slightly bitter blackberries are what we get. 

 Perhaps we were a little bit early, as there were still plenty of green and red berries, but we (or should I say Dean) picked about one gallon of blackberries.

Starting out, there were four berry pickers.  That didn't last too long though, and before long Dean was going solo while I nursed Elaina, and made sure none of our children drowned.

Because it didn't take long for them to drop their things,

soak their jeans, 

then decide to switch into swimsuits and play in the water rather than try work their way through the brambles.

I always find it amazing that my kids will swim no matter the time of day or temperature of the water.

Especially my little water baby! :)

It really is a beautiful place!

And from here on out, my goal is to hit up any berry farm or orchard we happen to be travelling near.  Does anyone know of any here in Arizona?