Late May and early June mark the beginning of berry picking season in many regions across the United States. In warmer climates such as Florida, Texas, and Southern California, you may have been picking since February and the deep south and west coast since April. But for many of us who have been waiting for winter to release its grasp, this is our time to take the kids and go berry picking. It’s the best time to learn about berries with your kids!
Strawberries start off the season with blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries following over the course of the summer. Most of the country’s commercial strawberries come from California and Florida. Washington and Oregon produce the most blueberries. Caneberries, including black and raspberries, are produced largely in Oregon, California, and Washington. However, many opportunities to introduce and celebrate berries with your family are available at a local pick-your-own farm, farmer’s market, or berry festival. PickYourOwn.org has a list of local farms providing you with a list of pick-your-own options, berry festivals, and a calendar of berry seasons by state. Or you can Google Pick-Your-Own Strawberries, Pick-Your-Own Blackberries, or festivals near me.
Teaching Kids About Berries
There are many benefits to teaching your kids about berries and letting them experience picking their own berries at a farm or meeting the producer at the farmer’s market.
Meet the Berry Producer or Farmer
Meeting the producer enables your child to see the person or family that makes the berries that your family is consuming possible. The berries just don’t come from the grocer who puts them on the shelf but from a passionate family or individual who has spent a lot of time and effort into learning about, planting, tending and harvesting the berries to give us the best possible berry to eat and enjoy.
Visit a Berry Farm
Horticulture is the branch of agriculture dealing with garden crops, generally fruits and vegetables. Pomology is the branch of horticulture that studies fruit and its cultivation. On a berry farm, kids can see the biology of the plants and fruits, the rows and rows of plants, and the different stages of growth and cultivation. Teaching kids this is how berries are grown and where berries come from.
Health Benefits of Berries
Berries are one of the healthiest foods you can eat, providing lots of nutritional value to your kid’s diet. While teaching your kids about the deliciousness of berries, you are encouraging your family to make better food choices and become healthier consumers. Picking fresh berries teaches kids what the best berries look like and how to pick the best product for consumption. You are picking directly from the bush, cane, or vine and reducing the need for preservatives or fungicides, and fresh tastes better. You can easily freeze berries for future consumption later!
Tips for Picking Berries
When taking your family to pick berries, you may wonder what the best berry is and what to expect from your berry-picking adventure. Here are a few tips!
Tip #1: Before you leave, contact the Berry Farm
Berry picking is dependent on the availability of ripe berries. The weather affects all of this. Call ahead to ensure when opening day is, the times, and if berry picking is available that day. This may change over the course of the picking season. There is nothing more disappointing than a closed sign. Also, ask if you must provide your own containers or if they provide them.
Tip #2: Prepare your kids for the pick-your-own experience
You and your family are visiting another family’s farm and place of business. Be kind and courteous and set some safety rules and parameters. Ensure your kids know to stay with you; they cannot run and horseplay while in the patch or field. They can play only in designated areas by the farm. Watch their feet! Be very careful not to damage the plants and other living creatures there. Watch out for bees that may be hidden behind a leaf. Pick only the berries that are ready and ripe. Save the others for the next family. You can find videos on YouTube to help them visualize the experience. Sometimes even the farm you visit will have videos and tips before you go.
Tip #3: Dress for the Occasion
The best time to pick berries is in the morning when it is nice and cool. Berries picked bruise easier in the heat of the day and may spoil faster. Wear appropriate footwear, it may be dewy and damp. You will be in the sun, wear a hat and sunglasses, and spritz on a layer of sunscreen. You may find some mosquitoes hiding in the patch or field, have a bug repellent on hand, just in case. If picking blackberries or raspberries, a light pair of gloves may be helpful in prickly situations.
Tip #4: Guide to Picking Berries
Have your containers ready beside you. Shallow containers less than 3 inches deep work best. Deeper containers cause the berries on the bottom to become bruised under the weight of the berries above.
When picking gently part leaves and other vegetation to find those hidden gems. You may be wondering what berries are the best to pick, here’s what to look for.
Strawberries: Pick only fully red berries. Strawberries do not ripen off the vine. Pinch strawberries off the plant just above the stem’s calyx (or cap). If you see a strawberry spoiled or eaten by bugs, you can remove the berry and place it between the rows or other designated areas. This will help prevent other berries on the vine from spoiling.
Blueberries: Select plump, full blueberries with a light gray-blue color. A berry with any hint of red isn’t fully ripened. Ripe berries will easily fall from the bush into your bucket if the bunch is gently rubbed with your fingers. Unripe berries will stay on the branch. Ripe blueberries will darken once picked.
Raspberries: Pick only fully ripe berries. A ripe raspberry has a deep color with a plump, soft but firm feel. It will pull free from the plant with only a slight tug. The center of the raspberry will remain on the plant.
Blackberries: A ripe blackberry has a deep black color with a plump, full feel. It will pull free from the plant with only a slight tug. If the berry is red or purple, it’s not ripe yet. There are thorned or thornless varieties of blackberries.
Tip #5 How to Keep Berries from Spoiling
Contact the farm that you will be picking from to see if you need to bring your own containers or if they provide them. Choose shallow containers less than 3 inches to prevent piling up berries and bruising the bottom layers. Pick berries in the morning when it’s cool. Berries picked in the heat of the day spoil faster. Plan to eat, freeze or preserve (can) your berries right away. Do not wash berries until ready to use. If planning to eat fresh, you can refrigerate berries for a few days before the berries start to spoil. Freeze or process the rest of your haul to be enjoyed later.
More Berry Activities for Kids
Are you looking to take your berry-picking experience further? You can do so many amazing activities with berries to teach your kids about growing berries and the awesome science behind agriculture.
Here are some ideas!
- Read or watch berry-themed books or videos
- Learn about the lifecycle of each berry type, how they grow, and identify the berry parts
- Teach about Biotechnology and Genetics with Strawberry DNA Extraction
- Introduce pH with Blueberry pH Indicator
- Create berry treats or make Jam
- Host a berry tasting
- Grow your own strawberry plants
Did you know many of the resources and activities listed above have been created and done for you in our Kids Sonder Agriculture Unboxed, June’s Box Berry Good Unboxed?
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