It was going to be a sunny Sunday, said the weather forecast. So we thought we should spend the day out; maybe visit one of the places on our constantly growing list of places to check out. Now if you live in the San Francisco Bay area, you are spoilt for choices — there are the beaches, there are the redwoods, zoos, lakes, mountains, wine tasting; all within a couple of hours away. But I was in the mood for something different; something that we hadn’t done before. 
So we drove south, towards the Central Coast of California and instead of heading to the seaside, we made our way to a farm in Watsonville, CA. We’d chosen to go a strawberry picking.
My toddler loves those little red fruits and can never get enough of them. He was all too excited when we told him about the plan. Hubby and I had never been to a strawberry farm — well — any farm in the US, for that matter. So this was perfect.
The place we picked out was one called Crystal Bay Farm. When we got there, there were a few families already on the field, picking up the red deliciousness and our little one couldn’t wait to get his cute little hands on those ‘sthobedhies.’ It was time for some farm activity and taking back some fresh organic fruits.
Here’s the drill, you go to the self-serve farm stand, pick up your containers, head to the field, pick your strawberries, return to the farm stand, weigh them and drop the cash into a drop box there. Of course it also includes taking in the weather, admiring the pretty red berries and just having fun going about the activity of strawberry picking. Crystal Bay Farm has enough to charm you. This strawberry farm is fringed with curios like old iron garden furniture, old rusting tractors, wooden benches, a small wooden stage that makes you feel like you are at a small fair and things of the sort.
As we were weighing our pick, I bumped into Lori, who owns the farm. She told me the stage was for the musical performances they have at the farm on occasions. She went on to tell me that sometimes they also screen movies at the farm. She invited us back for Halloween and promised that it was going to be a great party. Before I left, I made sure to ask her what months of the year we’d find strawberries and she said, April to October. She also let me know that the farm would be ready with raspberries around July. And I made a mental note of that. 😉
FYI
- If you want to go strawberry picking and don’t know where to go, find a farm here: http://www.pickyourown.org/statelist.htm#statelist
- Make sure to wear closed shoes, if you don’t want your feet to bring back caked mud.
- Pick the reddest berries. (The orange and green ones won’t ripen later. I tried that too)
- .It may not be a good idea to pick more than 2-3 pounds unless you are planning to make some Jam or Shortcake. Don’t forget that these fruits shrivel up in 2-3 days even if kept refrigerated.
wow…beautiful, and informative too! Thanks Divya!…really enjoyed your post:)
Thank you Amit. It was a learning experience for me too. So glad that you enjoyed it.
Very beautiful and Clourful..:-)
Thanks Nagini. 🙂
Strawberry picking was a good idea 🙂 It was nice to read. And thank you for the information about Crystal Bay Farm.
It really was, Abhinav. I should have done it earlier.
Wow! must have been so much fun!
Thanks for sharing!!
It was. Especially because it was a new activity. Should try cherry picking and Raspberry picking too.
Hi
When I was in the US, had gone to a similar self-serve farm…But for vegetables not strawberries and that was a wonderful experience…Your post brought back some nice memories…Thanks and have fun with the strawberries. 🙂
Wasn't it fun! I'm gonna do this more often now. I'm so glad it brought back memories. Maybe I'll go and get some veggies too and refresh your memories once again.
Thanks Jaish. I have a couple of posts to catch up on… will be coming by your blog, soon.
wonderful experience it must have been for you…love the strawberry pics at the beginning!!
http://sushmita-smile.blogspot.in/
It was, Sush. I fell in love with the first picture myself.
Thank you for coming by, once again.
Strawberry picking-what a wonderful way to spend the week end! The strawberries look so yummy.
It was a great idea. I should do this more often. The strawberries were so delicious. They were so very fresh too. 🙂
WOW, I will find the farms close to my place and will try it. I love strawberries, I eat it with Yoplait:)
Please do, Saru. It's in season now and don't forget to try some Raspberries in June-July. If you want to look up a farm near you, use the link I've added under FYI. They've even got them listed county-wise. Have fun strawberry picking. I'm sure you'll have fun doing it.
Wow!! That must be a unique experience!!
It was, Ashwini. I hadn't done this before.
sounds like fun!!!
hey, you do all these throughout the year. that's quite interesting and it gives us a chance to read about so many interesting things here on your blog which we wouldn't have known otherwise.
It was Deb. I try to keep checking out new places and trying out new things. I'm so glad you're enjoying all this. 🙂
wow..that must have been real fun!
It was, Sakshi. Now let me see if I can pick up some cherries. 😉
Wish I woke up on Crystal Bay Farms one day! A cute post, rich in cherries.
The actually do have farms stays at Crystal Bay Farms. You can camp there and participate in the activities of the farm and all that.
Thank you, USP. 🙂
I would love to do that myself some day! Thanks for taking me there, virtually 🙂
You should. You'd love it. 🙂
It's my pleasure, Arti.
Such a lovely post and to be with the nature! I would love to do this any time:) Lucky you to do strawberry picking in real where people engage in only cherry picking:)
Where people engage in only cherry picking? 😀
Thank you so much, Mr. Bhatia. You should do some strawberry picking sometime.
They look lovely, wish one could participate….
Thank you, Santosh.
You must try it if you get a chance.
i dont like berries, but the hots tempt me 🙂
u live in sfo bay area? thts wer my client office is 🙂
Honestly even I think the first shot in this post is very attractive. Tempting, right?
SF Bay area it is. 🙂
A lovely activity , a lovely time with family, and a lovely post.
Wish we could too, but we can pick coconuts maybe 🙂
That really was a good family activity. We need to have more places like this in our country; places where city kids can get a farm experience.
Coconuts – that would be fun too:D. We could pick the ones that've fallen down.
amazing shots! Loved those luscious strawberries…:)
Thank you so much, Panchali. 🙂
Hey D!
I am officially starting to get annoying and whining!
You went to pick strawberries and never told me? That's cold!
So that's the whining part getting over!
Looks like you had so much fun! Nice…. 😀 Just one question! what if you don't pay for them ?Does the cops come after you or do you get chased around the fields?
Sorry sir. Shall tell you the next time I do interesting. Are you done with your exams?
Yeah, that was fun; it was a new experience. What if we didn't pay? That's a good question. I wish I knew the answer to that. I'm not gutsy enough to try that too:D. Maybe I'll ask the farmers the next time I go strawberry picking (actually the next time, it's gonna be Cherry picking or Raspberry picking, maybe).
You are always picking on someone or something arent you?
Exams went sooo good hope grades also be that good! 😛
Lovely and tempting strawberries.
This post reminds me of a childhood vacation where I went all crazy plucking strawberries.
Thanks for sharing.
Hey Vaivhav,
Where was that? Someplace there in the Northeast? I'm sure there are people out there who are wondering where they could do some strawberry picking. Let us know when you come by again, ok?
It's my pleasure, Vaivhav.
Wow! Im so Jealous!
😀
Lovely post, and lovelier pictures! Enjoyed reading it 🙂
Thanks Ash. Thank you so much. Visit again, ok.
nicely documented 🙂
Thanks Joshi. Nice to see you here.
The first picture makes me say 'yummy'…
A farm with a stage to show movies and perform!!!, I dream of making such a thing in Wayanad 🙂
That first picture is driving everybody nuts. I love that picture too.
Deepu, isn't that such a great idea? You should do that…please make that happen, whether it is a strawberry farm or a chakka/maanga farm :).
I'll visit, I promise. I also promise to feature that place in Tipsy From the Trip. Whatsay? Please Deepu, make this happen. 🙂
Lovely.. I hope all people are honest then ..
we had some such programs here in uk, but people are greedy they spoil it for others too ..
beautiful pictures
Bikram's
Thank you Bikramjit. Welcome to this blog.
I guess most people are honest. Or else it still wouldn't be on; the self-stands, I mean. This is the first time I went strawberry picking so I don't know if it's always like this. Will have to find out.
You still have fruit picking as an fun family activity there in the UK also, right?
no not anymore , we use to have but slowly its all being stopped
That's sad. If you make a trip to the US, you should try it out. Which ever part of the country you are going to, just look up the link towards the end of the post, to find a place to go fruit picking.
Wow Lovely pictures!!I have always fancied such amazing trips of strawberry picking…being my favourite of all berries!!
A Pearl Collar Necklace, Bangs and Life Lately!!
Thank you. Lipsy, I hope you'll get to do it sometime. 🙂
Simply read! 🙂
DN, seems you had loads of fun plucking strawberries; although I am not much of a fan of this fruit they do appear juicy and appealing in the photos.
Lot of inputs too in your message for the Strawberry pickers and aficionados!
I read your comments on my blog … thank you for stopping by to read my stories.
Thank you Mr. Menon. Nice to see you here.
For a first time, I really enjoyed this activity. I think it does more good to kids. I liked the idea of taking my little one to find out where one of his favourite fruits came from.
Your welcome. I really enjoyed your writing. You should start working on that blog once again.
Nice. But i didnt understand the cherry picking thing. Is it a culture in usa? I had this question since long…
It's just a fun activity, especially for children. It's an eye opening experience for city kids; they get to see a farm and see how the fruit grows. It makes eating it more fun. Another thing I like here in the US is the petting farms/zoos that allow kids to feed and interact with farm animals.
Ok. Got it. Tks. Have a nice weekend.