Strawberries!

We planted strawberries this year but not enough to accomplish what I want to which is a nice supply of jam. I took my kids with me on Monday to a local farm to pick berries. I had never done this so I had no idea what to expect. We arrived an hour after they opened and it was already very busy. The farmers daughter handed us our flats and guided us out to our 2 rows for picking. After she left my kids and I went to town on picking every red berry that we could find and when all was said and done we left with 21lbs. of berries. They smelled so sweet and yummy!

 Colby was so diligent in his picking that he managed to find himself a heart shaped berry.

 We didn't manage to make it through our entire 2 rows but about 3/4 the way. Our boxes ran out of room! :)

 When we got home with our bounty, we started in on one flat, cutting, washing and slicing. It was a lot of berries and would have taken me forever to accomplish so I was quite happy that I could trust Colby now with a knife and he helped me cut them all up, both flats.

 Our second flat was cut, washed and then put in freezer bags for more jamming at a later date.

 Colby continued to help me as did the other children, but Colby stayed with me through the entire process. He helped mash after Madi was done with it, he helped me ladle it all into jars and he helped get the lids and rings out of the water.

 I love the color when it all starts to boil, such a deep red!

 The fruits of our labor, 9 pints of strawberry jam and one very happy husband which leaves me very happy and content. :) I also enjoyed how my son worked right along side me through the whole thing and how he felt some accomplishment as well. Such a good boy and a sweet time!