Every spring when the weather starts to warm and the berries start to ripen, the kids and I head out for the fields. Sometimes we go with the intent of getting enough to make jam and other times, it’s just for the experience. There’s something so relaxing about being outside, filling boxes with berries. The kids eat a few as they pick. When they tire of picking, they run up and down the isles, splashing up dust along the way.
Recently we went to Biringer Farm for the morning. Under big black clouds, that threatened to rain, we picked huge, juicy strawberries. The vines were covered and it didn’t take us long to fill our box.
The Strawberries at Biringer at $2.50/lb (u-pick) and the hours are: Mon-Sat 9:00am-5:00pm; Sun 9:00am-4pm. Coming up THIS WEEKEND, they are having their Annual Strawberry Harvest Fest: June 18 & 19, 11-3
We had only planned on picking Strawberries so when we heard that raspberries are ready as well, we were so excited! Even more than strawberries, raspberries are our favorite. They are easier to pick and the rows are wide enough that I don’t worry so much about wiggly little fit, squishing the plants.
The Raspberries at this specific farm are $3.25/lb. For us, it was all about the experience. Having a morning outside with my kids doing something simple and healthy, brings us all so much happiness.
I want to raise these girls to someday appreciate the farms near their homes. I hope when they’re Mamas someday, they’ll pack up their own kids and take them out on little adventures. I hope they’ll let their kids eat a few while they pick and afterwards, I hope they’ll make something together that’s absolutely delicious, if they don’t eat them all on the way home.
With our strawberries and some rhubarb from our neighbor, we made crisp together. This recipe comes together effortlessly and you can’t mess it up. Go pick berries with your kids and then grab some rhubarb from a friend if you aren’t growing some yourself. When you bring this out of the oven, let it sit for a few minutes and then serve it warm with vanilla ice cream on top.
- 4 cups fresh rhubarb, diced
- 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 1 granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinammon
- 1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Toss the rhubarb, strawberries, 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, the flour and the cinnamon together in a large bowl. Pour the mixture into an 8-by-11-inch baking dish.
- For the topping, in a bowl, combine the flour, the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and oatmeal. Stir in the butter with a pastry cutter and mix until the dry ingredients are moist and the mixture is in crumbles. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit, covering it completely, and bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream.
Have you picked berries yet this year? If so, where’s your favorite place to go?
Love it! Looking forward to doing some berry picking this summer with the kids. Will definitely be trying your crisp recipe! Looks perfect.