Strawberry Fields

We brought my father up to the summit at Skinner mountain, so he could get some fresh air and a view, and so I could get another look at the great photo exhibit/contest going on inside the summit house.



It was his first time on the mountain, and it was a great day for it.

We toured the whole top of the hill, and eyeing all the grills and tables, decided to come back again soon with more of the family, for a summit barbecue...

But for today, the call to arms was strawberry picking. We came back down and Kelly directed us to Sapowski's Farm in Granby, which was supposed to be open for strawberries; but we found that we had apparently missed operating hours. Luckily, on the way up we crossed paths with Granby's Charter Day celebration, in the form of a big weekend-long fair...



The celebration is spread out pretty broadly all around Dufresne Park, along route 202.



Parking was five bucks, good for the whole day, and people were skipping to a country beat when we arrived.



It was just starting to pack with people, and we found much of the usual rural fare, at this semi-rural fair.





Along with the ride and food-filled midway, there were farm animals to be pet...





...including this llama babe, born just 18 hours earlier (really), and already running about the pen.





For the more jet-set visitors, there are helicopter rides lifting off nearby for 25 bucks.



I was soooooo tempted....they're doing it all weekend, so mayyyyybe, just maybe....



In one corner of the expansive park, things became more rustic, with carved bears...



...and then a surprising dip into the civil war era, via the Massachusett's 10th Regiment's camp-site...





...(pics modified for a little contemporary flavor)...





We rounded out the visit with the oxen pull, which marked this as a true country fair. My dad, who like much of my family grew up in a small farming village, found this event particularly interesting.

He picked out the winners long before the pull was over.



It was time to go, but lest we forgo the strawberries, we gave Dickinson's Farm a look on the way back, and found it open for the pickin'...



Kelly kept riding me that you're not supposed to eat any strawberries as you pick them, but few have that kind of will power. I paid for our tray-full of strawberries with red stained fingers and a guilty smile, to the cashier's mild chagrin...



...it's going to be strawberry pie for Father's day, next weekend...