Blueberry picking

Today was a first for both me and River – we both had our first experience blueberry picking. I enjoyed seeing where blueberries come from, seeing the difference between the green berries, the pink and the blue. I enjoyed learning how to pick more efficiently, and of course, snacking a little in the process.

River liked eating them, and that’s about it. I thought he might put some in the bucket once his stomach was full. No. When I put some in his bucket to show him how it’s done, he promptly removed them and put them in his mouth. When he finally did become full, he sat down on the ground and waited for me.

Until, of course, he heard the tractor coming by. Then it was, “c’mon mama.”
The only thing that troubled me was the clearly visible residue of pesticides on the berries. Unlike apples I purchase there, that I can wipe off on my shirt, I had no way of cleaning off the berries before he ate them.

I have no idea if it had anything to do with the berries, but he did develop a runny nose and frequent sneeze while at the farm. By the time he woke up from his nap, his eyes were puffy. He was clearly having a reaction to something in a way he hadn’t before. There were all kinds of grasses, weeds, plants, flowers and animals there, so it could be anything. But I do feel better about my child snacking on things that are not covered in white residue. I found an organic berry farm a bit further away. When I called, I learned they were already out of blueberries this year. But perhaps next year we’ll go there instead.