Strawberry Picking

Yesterday I got my monthly e-mail from the Nagoya International Center, which highlights upcoming events in the area. One particular blurb about strawberry picking caught my eye, and got me excited for a fun weekend excursion. In the States, strawberries are generally a late spring or early summer crop, but in Japan, they are produced in greenhouses, and prime picking season starts now.

My mind immediately jumped to how much fruit you generally end up with after going berry picking in the States, and I started imagining a kitchen overflowing with strawberries ready to be turned into tasty summertime treats like tarts, pies, and salads. That is until I looked up more information on the farms and find that not one of them allows you to take strawberries home with you. What?!?

That's right, no take away. Instead, the featured farms have all-you-can-eat strawberry picking deals. Some farms set time limits of 45 or 60 minutes, while others have no time limit at all. The farms require reservations to participate, and the entrance fee varies by farm, generally about $15 to $20 USD. Although I bet the people watching alone could be pretty entertaining at a 45 minute all-you-can-eat event, I think I'll just stick to getting my strawberry fix at the grocery store.