Road Trip, Part 4

I cannot resist farm-fresh produce. I can't! I try, really, but it's no use. I loved driving through so much of agricultural California, and this was the perfect season to do so. Cherries are ripe! It's cherry season! We made plans on our trip up to stop and load up on the way back home.

We stopped at a nice farm with a "Cherry" sign, but they had so much more. We got to sample the Rainier and Bing cherries. I asked when they had been picked and the response was "Yesterday!" He pointed over my shoulder to the orchard. I love it! I bought 22 pounds of cherries for only $20! A steal! In the grocery store, they sell for $7.99/lb, on sale for $3.99/lb. This was a great deal, and so fresh! We also bought about thirty pounds of oranges for $8, a watermelon, and a case of strawberries. Man, did the car smell good!

Once home, we dined on fresh cherries for a few days, snacking, putting them in pancakes (whole wheat cherry pancakes, slathered with butter and syrup=YUM), and baking cherry treats, like the turnovers below. On day two, I was able to borrow a cherry pitter and we got to work like proper pioneers.

The kids and I each took shifts, up to 60 minutes each, until they were all pitted. It looked like a murder scene with cherry juice everywhere, up everyone's arms, and splashed on necks and faces. It was wonderful! We froze all the rest, and shall be in cherry heaven for some time to come.

Ba-Da-Bing!

Here, Lyndsay gets started on her shift.

Cherry Turnovers waiting for the kids after school.