Strawberry Orchard

Hand in hand, walking through the fields of fresh, plump, and ripe strawberries on a warm summer day. Pure magic. Hearts and bellies, full.  Does it really get better than that? When the beauty of longer days and shorter nights arrives, the Barrett household always anticipates the arrival of strawberry picking. Eyes locked onto one of the local orchards social media to get a glimpse off when the season begins. 

 "Do you want to go pick some strawberries?" I screeched as our car got lost in the trees on the course of our ride. "Okayyyy", was Karson's sweet response and really is the cue that he is one happy boy.

Brandon, Karson, and I arrived on site of Rulf's Orchard in upstate New York, early Saturday afternoon. A birthday treat really, the day following the first day of my 27th year of life.  I'll simply always remember the moments. Every luscious row calling for our attention, the pure thrill painted on my toddlers face, and the beauty of mountains disposed at every angle. This has to be one of the most beautiful orchards in the North East. One we have the privilege to visit almost all year round as blueberries bloom, apples appear, and pumpkins poke through the earth. Each opportunity we have to visit, we certainly take.

With each occasion we get to visit this special corner of the world, not a memory is missed. With our camera at my husbands waist, he shuffled his eyes to meet the lens and snagged this photo and many others. We dealt the Nikon back and forth to capture each reminder of our time shared as we nabbed at every red berry we could find. All of us devoted to this labor of love and filling our basket to the brim.

What an irreplaceable gift it is to gaze upon Karson as he unwraps each hidden gem of this treasure called life. There is nothing he loves more than getting to be acquainted with the new. Adding to his bucket of observations, experiences, and senses. Of course the sensibility of taste tops the chart and without a doubt a few strawberries were eaten in the making of these memories. His heart longing for a taste that simply could not be awaited until arriving home with our fresh produce.

Our family could have easily spent the rest of the day beaming, giggling, and basking in the sun, but it was  almost noon now and a certain someone's nap time was quickly approaching. Strolling back down the field, our hands eagerly reaching for any plump berries that may have been previously passed and enjoying every breath of the June air. 

At the end of our visit, we walked away with three cartons spilling over. Unquestionably overflowing as we swapped our containers for boxes the staff kindly offered. Karson, rubbing his eyes now, dreaming of the snooze he was desperately ready for after a wonderful day at the orchard, we hopped into the jeep and journeyed on home.

The task set before us now was foreseeing to be totally enjoyable. Stuffing our fridge, freezer, and faces with fresh strawberries for the next couple of weeks. So we thought. Vacant. These delicious fruits didn't last more than a week between snacking, donuts, smoothies, and just about every other offer the world wide web provides. Now we're simply left dreaming for more and planning our next getaway back to the fields!

What about you? Are you arranging a visit to an orchard or what else is on your summer bucket list? Let me know by connecting with me on my Instagram or leaving a comment below. I always count it a joy to hear from you! 

xo, Tiffany Barrett