On Sunday morning, we checked one of our summer list bucket list boxes. Jones Family Farm in Shelton, Connecticut is known for it’s pumpkin and berry picking and has the cutest experience for the kids. We arrived just after 9am (doors open at 8am for you earlier birds!) ready for strawberries!

After grabbing our baskets (there are several different sizes to choose from), we boarded a tractor, known as the berry ferry, to take us to the strawberry rows which was about a 2 minute ride. Henry was grinning ear to ear the entire time and James kept saying the tractor was so beautiful! After departing the tractor, you are escorted to your own row to pick from and you can see the vast farmland ready to be harvested all around. We got to our spot and began picking right away. The best crops to pick are bright red and ripe as the strawberries will not continue to ripen once picked. Another helpful hint is to keep the stem in tact because it keeps the strawberries fresher longer!

James and Henry both did so well picking (and eating) their own strawberries and we all had so much fun! Once our bellies and baskets were full, we got back on the berry ferry to head back to home base. We left the farm with a basket of freshly picked strawberries that were the most delicious I have ever tasted! If you have an over abundance, you can make jam or even freeze them for later! The total amount of time we spent at the farm was approximately one hour from arrival to departure. It was short and sweet and the perfect little family outing! Up next … blueberry season!

TIP: Don’t forget to pack your hats, sunglasses and sunscreen as you are in the open sun and it gets toasty pretty quickly!