Raspberry Picking

        I appreciate food for everything it has to offer. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the pinnacle of what creates the best food. I want to start to create a lifestyle where I have a connection with the food that I am buying. I want to learn about where the food comes from and the people that are producing the food. I thought a great way to start to begin to understand the importance of fresh food was to go out and find some myself, so I decided to go raspberry picking. My husband and I went to Becker Farms in Gasport, NY to hunt for raspberries!

I had the opportunity to go raspberry picking and this was an incredible experience. I know raspberry picking sounds like something everybody would do (which I encourage everyone to do because it is so much fun!), but this was my first time going so it helped put a few things into perspective for me.

First, I have such a deep appreciation for what farmers and producers do to grow food. A lot of time, effort, money, and energy goes into producing food. I aspire to get more involved in my local community. In a dream world, I would source everything directly from the producer.

I have also realized that there is something so special about going to pick your own food. It felt great to come home after having picked the raspberries and bake with them. When I was done baking, I felt so proud that I was able to gather the raspberries, place them in my own container, and create no waste during the process.

The last thing that really stood out to me was my connection to nature. While I was picking, I was walking through fields, gathering the raspberries, and enjoying the sun. I felt connected to the world around me. I took a moment to reflect on the beauty of everything I saw. I thought about the process that created the berries and how long it took them to bear fruit.

I am very thankful for my visit to Becker Farms and I am looking forward to my next visit!