Berry Pickin'

When I was a kid, I remember trying to pack in all my favorite summer activities into the final days of August before school started. And for me, one of the most fun things to do was pick berries. What better way to bide the last days of freedom than with berry-stained hands and mouth?

I have yet to meet a kid who doesn't like to pick berries. I think it's because there's something very satisfying about snacking straight from a berry bush. Even true city kids will enjoy foraging for a sweet treat.

Some of the most common berries to pick in our area are blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. Lesser known, but also delicious, are salmon berries, currants and gooseberries.

Picking berries with kids can be as simple as grabbing a plastic container and finding an alley with overgrown blackberry bushes. Or, you can visit one of the many "U-Pick" berry farms in our area.

It's a good idea to check to make sure the area you're picking hasn't been sprayed with pesticides. Also, avoid picking blackberries too close to a dusty road. And, of course, never pick a berry you're unfamiliar with. In fact, teaching kids which berries are edible and which are poisonous is a valuable lesson about nature.

A delicious lesson they'll enjoy beyond childhood.

Links:
Find a U-Pick Farm
Seattle's Pesticide-Free Parks