Farmers

The kids and I went with Riley’s preschool group, as well as my sister and a few more friends, to a nearby farm last week. We all rode on a trailor, pulled by a tractor, out to the fields. We made six stops in different fields, to harvest different vegetables. For $10 per adult we were each able to fill 6 grocery bags with produce. They told us it averages out to about 60 pounds if you fill the bags full.

Asher had fun playing peek-a-boo in the fields but Riley was an impressive little worker. Several of the kids her age opted to stay on the trailer and play with each other at some of the stops. And I did give Riley that option. But she hustled off the trailer at every stop, grabbed a bag, and helped me pick. Riley was plenty dirty to prove her hard work. As one of the other moms said, “You could grow potatoes on that chin!” She also rewarded herself by eating some of her harvest right there in the fields. She ate several tomatoes, a carrot (I tried to brush the dirt off on my pants, but it was still quite gritty), and plenty of green beans.

 In addition to those we came home with peppers, onions, potatoes, sweet corn, eggplant, sugar pumpkins, beets, and a couple of cabbages. Of course the real work began after we got home. All those veggies had to be cleaned, cut, blanched (or made into salsa), and frozen. Well, the ones we didn’t eat over the next couple of days. I certainly didn’t reach 60 pounds of produce. But we brought home plenty, and most importantly, had a great experience. I might even be willing to do it again next year!