Have you ever eaten a hot strawberry? There's nothing better than picking a sun-heated strawberry right off of the vine and popping it in your mouth! We're lucky enough to have a couple of strawberry plants around to satisfy the immediate urge, but if we're looking to make preserves to have on hand through the winter, we head out to one of many places on the North Shore to pick away to our hearts content. June is the month to harvest strawberries in Massachusetts so don't wait too long or you'll miss out!
The best time to pick is in the early morning before it gets too hot out, or in the later afternoon when the sun isn't as high and the evening bugs have yet to emerge.
If you have little ones tagging along, challenge them to pick the smaller ripe ones. It helps them develop dexterity in their fingers and you'll find that you get more weight by volume with your pick. Most places charge by volume not weight, and bigger strawberries tend to have more air between them than littler fruit.
Make sure that you bring a small pack with you that has water, sunscreen and insect repellent. If it's really sunny, younger kids should wear hats to keep them cool and shaded. This will ensure that you and your kids will have a great time without being distracted by dehydration, sunburn and or mosquitos!
Strawberry Picking Etiquette
A lot of pick your own fields and farms discourage the eating of strawberries in the field because they don't want you eating through their profit, and don't want taking the risk of getting sick by eating a dusty strawberry. It's always best to pay first, and smart to wash the fruits of your labor before digging in!
Enjoy our list and if you know of a place that isn't on our list on the North Shore, we would love to hear about it!
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