Grisamore Farms

I picked the seven quarts of red raspberries at Grisamore Farms in Locke on Wednesday. As I finished, a woman and her two young daughters, all in sun bonnets, joined me.

It wasn't easy picking–there were a lot of overly ripe berries that were just too soft–but the flavor was very good.

I've been picking red raspberries at Grisamore's for almost twenty years. One of The Mister's coworkers took us the first time and then for several years my parents would visit the middle of July and the four of us would pick berries, stopping in Skaneateles for dinner at Doug's Fish Fry on the way home. My mother and I spent the evenings, most often warm and humid, making jam. Good memories.

Now I usually go by myself. It's a beautiful drive down 81 then twelve miles on a picturesque country road to Locke. Past seasons I've gone as many as three times to pick raspberries, sour cherries and blueberries but this year I'm going to try to make do with two trips and keep the carbon output and fuel costs down.