We spent Sunday afternoon at our local pick-your-own farm and gathered as many blackberries as we could before we melted in the hot July sun! Crooked Run Orchard is just about 5 minutes from our home, and this was the first time we went together as a family. We’ll be going back for apples, peaches, more blackberries, and then all of the fall harvest!

It was so fun teaching Zoe about fruit and how it grows and needs water and sun. She was elated to pick “beddies” and she wanted ALL the tiny little red [unripe] berries which she affectionately called babies. She’s been loving our own garden, too, and begs to come out with us when we’re harvesting fruit and vegetables.

I had a blast practicing with my camera and changing the settings every time the lighting changed (um, hello direct sunlight, indirect sunlight, shade, etc.) or my angle changed or ANYTHING changed (which is like after every shot). And kids move SO fast it’s so difficult to get a NON-BLURRY shot. Dang! It’s a lot to get used to and there’s such a learning curve! But every time I use my camera, I feel just a bit more comfortable. I couldn’t stop snapping photos of my big [little] girl. That straw hat and basket though. 🙂

Not pictured: Zoe’s fall and subsequent bloody lip, serious sweat, chocolate covered pretzels (that may or may not have been used for bribing), and mamma carrying Zoe in the baby bjorn alllll the way back to the car.

Tips for berry picking with littles – bring: lots of water, something fun like a basket for the kiddos to put their fresh fruit, a hat for shade, sunscreen, a stroller (and/or a baby carrier), and snacks for bribing kiddos to sit still for a photo in the event they don’t like the berries they’re picking…

xoxo!