Strawberry Picking

It seemed like a good idea at the time. But when we noticed all the folks out from the City, spending a day on the farm (bordered by three subdivisions and a divided highway); we had our doubts. And it didn't help any when the surly farmhand greeted us, palm outstretched, looking for our admission fee!

"Five dollars per person?!?" the Captain asked. "I hope that includes the strawberries," he grimaced, as I paid our not-so-farm-friendly hostess. "Yeah. Um. About the strawberries, "I stammered, "We pay for those on the way out." Pausing for dramatic effect, he turned and looked at me, "You do know that strawberries are on sale at the grocery store for $1.79 per pound, right?" Swallowing hard and steeling my resolve to bring home our fresh, ruby-colored fruit, I acknowledged the current asking price at the market and considered my folly. Back in the day, when I picked strawberries with my mom, there was no entrance fee to simply walk on the field. (Insert loud, almost middle-aged sigh here.)

For the brief amount of time it took us to fill our little berry baskets (because after paying admission for 8 people, who could think about buying strawberries?) I figure the farmer laughed himself right to the local credit union that night--or at the very least out for a very.nice.dinner.

Was this money poorly spent I wondered as I paid our bill? It was certainly a more expensive outing than I had planned on. We certainly enjoyed ourselves and the tiny, sweet berries tasted divine. But I'm thinking for next year, maybe we'll just invest in a few nice strawberry plants for our own yard. I hear there's money to be made in the business.