Fruit of our Labors

Last year we planted strawberries. Oh that has seriously been the best purchase EVER. This year we added 3-4 more rows to what we already had last year. Because we did this we had to make an additional garden. But like I said it was the best thing we have ever done. Our kids don't know how truly spoiled they are. Yea it's nice to have fresh veggies, but my kids don't care for zucchini all that much, but strawberries now that's a different story.

See that colander full? We pick that many every other day. So yes we are bringing in quite a few, and they aren't small by any means most of the time they are as big as the ones in the store if not bigger. I have 3 gallon bags in the freezer and could have more but I've already made jam 3 times and more pies, and German pancakes and waffles and shortcakes then we care to mention (well at least you know why we've put on some extra pounds. Our kids love them and so do we!)

Kenna knows not to go into the garden so she well stand out side and point and yell Momma, Momma, she can see them and tells us where the good ones are. She doesn't like it when you tell her it's not quite ripe, she just keeps telling you to pick it anyway. But she can eat them I'll tell you. We all can! Railey though, she's our picker and she knows which ones are to be picked.

Yea we have eaten lots of those strawberries before we took the picture. This year as we were starting our seeds in the office, we had extra dirt without seeds in them and Steve happened to be eating watermelon and just spit one of the seeds into the dirt. Well look what we got as a result. It's the only one we got but oh my goodness was it sweet and good! Now if only those cantaloupe will hurry and ripen --we have tons of those!

Yes when you have lots of Strawberries you have to cover at least some in chocolate. This was our first and only time doing this and we just did it last night for FHE. Why have we not been doing this all summer? Oh yeah the diet thingy.

Not only have our strawberries done great but so have our raspberries. They are just coming on again. Back in June we got about 4 gallons worth and are expecting at least that many if not more within the next month. Our girls will eat those just as fast as they will the strawberries. This morning I picked that little container full (not to many like I said they are just barely coming on) and they barely made it into the house before the girls had them finished off. Oh we love us some berries.

Every time we go out to pick both Steve and I comment on how this was the best idea ever as well as how our kids have no idea how good they have it. Now if the blackberries will hurry and get bigger, we only got 5 berries this year!