on farmers.

we have filled this sink MANY times over with our berries...  i love their bright COLORS!

 we have been picking and canning and freezing...

raspberries, cherries, and blueberries.

our freezer and our pantry is stocked full and we are still waiting for our MONGO tomato crop.

picking raspberries at dusk.

sigh.
we have been eating a LOT of zucchini.  ha!

i'm not a huge fan of "organic".
i hate bugs.

raspberry jam anyone?

i like pesticide and perfect plants.
and i'm an obsessive cleaner because i can't stand the thought of one bug getting frozen in with my berries.
i KNOW i need to get over it.
but, i can't.
blah!

in a cherry tree.  my kids say, "mom, i didn't even know you could climb trees."  ha!

it's fun to pick berries- have you ever tried it?

usually the bushes (or trees) are so full and ripe that you can just stand in one place and pick for a long time before you have to move down the row.

the bunch with the most amount of cherries... and two hams.

i love picking at one place for awhile, and then bending down.
once your perspective changes, you can usually find more hidden clumps of berries.
berry bushes are like kids... when you get down to where you can look them in the eye, you begin to see their hidden talents.
i love picking fruit with my family.
berry bushes are really amazing.

canning cherries.

i have learned one thing.
DO NOT EAT THE FROTH AT THE TOP OF YOUR CANNED JAM OR FRUIT.
it is the little tiny bugs that float to the top when you're canning.
gross.
just don't eat it-- ok?

just PICKING raspberries and freezing them is A LOT of work.
honestly.
i took a drink of cran/raspberry juice the other day and i just felt SO GRATEFUL!!
wow!

some farmers do A LOT of work to provide me with one simple drink of juice.
We are SOO blessed.
We have SOO much food!!
honestly.

and, farming is cool to me--
because once you plant berries, it really isn't expensive to keep them growing year after year.
(i admit i am pretty ignorant when it comes to the cost of berry farms, etc.)
i think you mainly have to WORK.
and farming is a lot of work!  we are just finding out.
in our small, non-farm garden experience.
i love to think about the ways in life where labor is turned into money.
i have to buy our family the Farming Game.
it intrigues me.  ha!

i am lazy and VERY grateful for those who work hard every day to bring my family good food to eat.
i don't even mind paying a bit more for frozen raspberries at Costco.
farmers work hard.
i am so grateful for them.

the kids like the lady bugs as much as the fruit.
me, not so much.

eve found the best way to fill her bucket.

i LOVE that my kids get the chance to do things that are REAL.
they are surrounded by bounty and they feel joy in working for our family.
i love the summer time!

life is good.

we are blessed with abundance!!