North Central Florida blueberry picking is the perfect family activity in the Spring!
April is the perfect time to visit local blueberry farms near Gainesville, Florida.
When we lived in South Florida, the best time of year for visiting farms was just after the winter holidays. By January, we were able to pick fresh strawberries, tomatoes, and peppers at our local farms. Now that we live 5 hours north in Gainesville, Florida, things are a little different. We can visit local farms – like Red, White, and Blues Farm in Williston – for some Florida blueberry picking. And they have not just one variety, but probably almost a dozen varieties to pick. Some are smaller, some larger, some sweeter, some more tart.
When the kids were little, it was fun to help them pick the berries, but now, I just give them buckets and let them go! I just have to trust that they only sample a few of the blueberries…and put the rest in the buckets! At this particular farm, you can actually get a bucket that straps to your body, like Lydia is wearing, but you can also bring your own, like Bryce has.
Try this delicious Blueberry Corn Summer Salad recipe!
This really is a fun activity the kids have always enjoyed doing. Each season brings with it something special, and I think Spring really is special because the beautiful flowers are in bloom, the weather is beautiful, and we can go blueberry picking as a family. We even brought some of our friends along on this trip, and they all had fun together.
We went blueberry picking in Georgia 7 years ago when the kids were just toddlers.
In addition to photos of them actually picking blueberries, I had fun taking some additional photographs around the farm. Bryce was kinda being a knucklehead while posing under the tree below, but you have to have a little fun when taking photos, right?
There’s also an awesome play area for kids at the farm. They can play this traditional water game – when they pump the water, their rubber duck moves back and forth. They can also play on the swing set, and there is a sandy area to play with shovels and pails.
Also, can’t leave dad out, right? Richard had fun jumping off the big tires {you may have seen that I updated my Facebook cover to include this image}. He also enjoyed at Stanley Park a cup of blueberry beer, which is available at the farm, along with blueberry wines. There’s a bar set up at a silo, and there’s even a country store with more delicious blueberry goodies. And did I mention the restaurant? You must try the blueberry cheesecake – Yum!
Use your blueberries to make this Rainbow Fruit Salad recipe.
[…] summer, which means some of my favorite fruits and vegetables are being harvested! Corn, asparagus, blueberries, and raspberries are now available in stores. This is the perfect time of year to shop local […]