Younger ones are more apt to pick up a few quarts to eat fresh. But in spite of shifting demographics, business is still good. On a heavy day during the three to four weeks that berries are ripe, Barthel opens his 10 acres of fields to some 800 to 1,000 pickers. For those who are willing to get their hands dirty, price is a definite advantage. At the Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago, the savings is somewhere around half.
Families often fall in the last category.
Sometimes we regret that . . . Plus being outdoors and enjoying the quiet of the country. Some would say it's another good excuse to be outdoors during Wisconsin's fleeting days of warm weather. And if the heat gets to be too much, wait a little bit and you may get a welcome mist of cool water. This year's crop is earlier than usual.