Year’s End Vacation 4: Strawberry Picking

Immediately after the tea plantation foray, we headed out towards another type of farm. There were many strawberry farms here. We selected one on the phone map but the horrible traffic jam pushed us towards another direction.

The farm we stumbled across while navigating the twisting roads on the hillside was quite an impressive one. More than a strawberry farm, it was a full on orchard that sold everything from roses to herbs to unidentifiable (to me) local wild flowers.

To pick the berries, we had to pay for plastic containers. Only with the containers were we allowed to pass through the inner gate, and climb up the stairs to a higher level where the strawberry greenhouses were.

Check out the pictures below.

Photo Gallery

The strawberry farmThis was the last photo taken before we left the farm

Ain smells a flowerA rose of some sort I think

Irfan with cactiA prickly situation to be fair

Carnivorous plants galoreWe call the pitcher plant the "monkey's pot"

The roses were truly fragrantAin can't get enough of them

Unknown flowersI hope someone identifies this species

Unknown purple berriesI hope someone identifies this species

Another unknown flower typeI hope someone identifies this species

I should have taken photos of its labelI hope someone identifies this species

Yellow flowersI should have brought an identification booklet

Red flowersAnd there were many more species and types

At the greenhouse entranceOur escorts knew their stuff about strawberry farming

Ain loved picking strawberriesWhen I started picking that day I picked one too young

The entire greenhouse had a strong strawberry aromaAin seemed to be at home here

They picked the bright red, aromatic berriesWe could not wait to taste them later

Rows and rows of strawberry plantsWe were warned not to consume them immediately because of insecticide

Atok and OpahIt was cool and pleasant in the greenhouse

Although we picked a lot, there were many leftSo many strawberries

This was my first time seeing a strawberry plantI have not even seen an elderberry plant

Picked and washed cleanThere was an area where you could sit and eat the stuff you picked

They tasted sweetThey also sold strawberry jams and ice cream up at the shop behind us

We ate some of the berries we picked, and saved some for laterWe finished it all up before heading home the next day

The fragrance of the greenhouses was unforgettable. We left with two containers of strawberries and three jars of strawberry jams. I never thought I would be able do something like this ever, so I am grateful for this experience.