Picking Berries at Jones Family Farm

Next to going to the beach, my favorite summertime activity is picking fresh fruit at Jones Family Farm in Shelton. Unfortunately, I missed the chance to pick strawberries because June, when its the optimum time to pick them, was a busy month for my family. Blueberry season is much longer, though, and I was excited to finally get out to the fields with my daughter, Olivia, 8, this week.

The adventure begins with a ride out to the blueberry patch on a large tractor called The Berry Ferry. It's a little bumpy but well worth seeing all of the magnificent trees and mountains in the distance.  Surrounded by meadows and gardens where pumpkins, vegetables and, of course, blueberries, are planted, I get a sense of peace and feel at one with nature. Rest assured — my daughter is not feeling this Zen experience. She is just excited for picking — and eating — the delicious, sweet berries.

Once we disembark from the Berry Ferry, we are guided by young workers clad in bright yellow Jones Family Farm tee-shirts to our own row of five or six bushes. Then we get to work, choosing only the dark blue, plumpest berries to place in our basket.

There are usually recipe pamphlets available at the farm stand where you pay for your bounty of blueberries. My family, however, has no trouble finishing off the pounds of blueberries that we pick. Before I could gather the ingredients to bake blueberry muffins or pancakes, the berries are gone.

Jones Family Farm typically has ripe berries to pick throughout July and most of August so I hope to get there at least one more time this summer.

While we were at Jones Family Farm, we met Margherita Aloi, who is the executive chef and owner of Il Palio Restaurant at Five Corporate Drive. Partnering with Jamie Jones, a sixth generation family farmer,  Margherita hand picks seasonal vegetables to cook up daily for the restaurant's patrons. On this day, she took with her a bushel filled with summer squash and zucchini. Margherita also purchased three case loads of homemade wine from Jones Family Farm's winery.

After she secured her stash of fresh produce and beverages in her car, Margherita returned to the one-acre garden, whose harvest is especially allocated for Il Palio, and picked the light orange-colored squash blossoms. She planned to stuff them with fresh mozzarella, dip in a light batter, and "flash fry" them up as an appetizer. "Everyone goes crazy for them," Margherita said with a smile.

As children in the United States struggle with health issues related to obesity, it's wonderful to have so many local farms in this area where families could purchase fresh organic foods. Three weeks ago I attended Monroe Farmers' Market Opening Day. The Town Green was filled with happy children and adults socializing, shopping and munching on wholesome samples of pesto and homemade bread, jams and gluten-free cookies. I overheard a few people comment that they don't like to bring their wallet because they could easily spend a lot of money on all of the yummy foods.

However, when I add up how many fast-foods meal I purchase for my
kids because they're hungry and I'm in a hurry, the dollars quickly add up.

My goal this summer is to pick more berries and keep my refrigerator stocked with local fruits and vegetables from Connecticut farms. Aside from the obvious health benefits, my good friend Susan Muro, who is also Monroe's Market Master, always talks about how we must support local farmers so that they could afford to make a decent living and keep the farms open.

I couldn't imagine not being able to ride the Berry Ferry out to the field and pop a yummy blueberry into my mouth. Could you?