Raise your hand if you like picking your own produce (my hand waves wildly in the air). Now raise your hand if you grow your own produce (my hand, with it's giant black thumb, remains sadly down). If you are anything like me, and you love to eat fresh fruits and veggies but can't grow them yourself because every time you try they inexplicably shrivel up and die (apparently plants need water...?!) then you need this book:

Pick it up in the entryway of any grocery store, as well as in many local businesses (The Bierstein had them last night - so they're pretty easy to find). Here's what you can find in this book:

• The times, dates, and locations of all the farmer's markets in Lane County.
• A listing of many farms in the county with handy info such as location, which products they sell, and their growing practices.
  
• This book doesn't list prices, so you have to call or check the website for those.
• A map of farm locations
• U-Pick index so you can easily find which farms offer raspberries or figs or cucumbers or whatever you're hoping to pick.- Seasonal crop availability chart
• And lots more! 

Seriously this book is like summertime goodness gold. I always grab two copies - one for my car and one for inside the house. They are always tattered and ragged by the end of the season. 
Anyway! My family went to pick cherries this weekend, and I thought I'd share a bit about how easy it is to feed your family fresh, local produce for way cheaper than you can buy it at the store. It just takes a little bit of effort. :) 

So the first thing I do when I get a hankering for something tasty is check the index in 'Locally Grown' to see which farms offer whatever I'm looking for. Then I hop on their website or call them to check prices as well as to ask them how the crop looks. Are the cherries ready yet? If not, when do they anticipate they'll be ready? Are they already picked over? If it's something I've never picked before, I'll ask for tips too. Do I need gloves? Will a stool make things easier? 
Be aware: many of the farms are only open on weekends, or have funny hours.

Also, even if the website says that they are offering cherries (or whatever) right now, I would recommend calling, just to be sure. Farmers are understandably busy with many things besides keeping their websites super updated. Just be sure to do all your research before you head out. It would be super disappointing to load up the kids, get everyone super pumped about fresh fruit, and then discover that you missed the season or need a bowl or whatever. 

We headed out to Detering Orchards this weekend to pick our cherries. Winco was selling cherries for $3.98/pound, and I was not very excited about paying that much, even though cherries are my absolute favorite. Detering was selling U-Pick cherries for $1.59/pound. Wowza. That is a huge difference. Granted, the lower price means you're using gas to get out to the farm, as well as time and effort on picking, but I feel like it's worth it. You're supporting a local farmer, you're getting your littles out in the dirt, they're learning a bit about where their food comes from, and you know exactly how it was grown. Also! Taste testing! Wahoo!

Detering offers a ton of U-Pick choices. Some of the produce is right near the actual farmstand. However, lots (such as apples, peaches, cherries, and way more) are located down the street. So here's how it works: you park in the main lot at the farmstand and go tell a worker what you'd like to pick. They'll take your debit or credit card as collateral and give you some buckets in return. You hop back in your car and drive to the crops. Then you pick! Last, you head back to the farmstand, park again, pay for what you picked, and check out whatever else you're interested in. I really recommend picking first, before you let the kiddos play on the playground there or poke around the farmstand. This may or may not be an endorsement for bribery. Ahem.

Okay, some specifics for both cherries and Detering's!
Oh, and some general U-Pick tips too.

• Cherries grow on trees - so sometimes they're way above your head. I've picked cherries at ME & Moore before - they're a lovely farm down near Mt Pisgah - and their trees are huge. You get to stand on a ladder and use a pole hook thing to grab the branch to bring it closer to you. Super fun, but not very kid friendly. Detering's trees are much smaller. My four year old could stand on the ground and reach a reasonable amount of cherries without a problem. We also had a pickup truck with us, so we just backed it up under a super loaded tree, stood in the bed, and then it was even easier!
• At Detering's they don't mind if you drive your car right down the cherry orchard aisle, so try to go down a bit where it doesn't look like there are a ton of other people.
• General U-Pick tip - start farthest away from the road - most people will just go to the front and start picking, which means there will be less fruit.
• Also: be sure to wear play clothes - picking is messy and I promise you will all go home with juice and dirt on whatever you're wearing.
• Take bowls with you - some places don't give you boxes or bags to take home your goodies.
• My oldest is four, and he has been picking with me his whole life. I usually can expect him to be interested for the first bit of time, and then he gets to wander and play near me while I work. Here's what we've successfully picked together: apples, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, peaches, pears, raspberries, and strawberries.
• If you have a little who isn't walking yet, I would suggest wearing them. Often the aisles of crops (particularly berries) are super narrow and wild with branches, and it would be difficult/borderline impossible to navigate a stroller. However, once they're walking, let them go for it! Honestly, I just plop my crawler on the ground near me and let him crawl around. He ends up filthy and I have to keep an eye on him so I can dig rocks or whatever out of his mouth, but he is entertained and I get to work.
• Often, U-Pick fields are set pretty far back from roads, so it's easy to let your kiddos wander a bit. This is great practice for "if you can't see me, you're too far away" as well as "come when I call", two of my big boundary rules.
• Sunscreen! Wear it! Also - hats. - If you can, go first thing in the morning. That way you beat the crowds and the heat.
• Don't be intimidated by the farms that are outside of Eugene. If your littles do okay in the car, taking a little drive is a lovely way to spend a beautiful summer day. Pack a picnic and make it an event!
• One important thought: plan your picking. I picked six pounds of strawberries a few weeks ago, which is wonderful! However! I did it the day before we were leaving town for a week, and also on the day of my book club (and I hadn't finished the book yet). So I spent the entire rest of the day frantically making strawberry muffins and jam and cobbler and granola bars while skimming my book in between batches of dishes while also keeping the episodes of Chuggington rolling and throwing snacks at my kids and clothes in our suitcase. Not a great move on my part.
• Before you pick, spend some time on the interwebs and make a plan about how much you want to pick. There's nothing more discouraging than rotten fruit sitting on your counter attracting fruit flies. Also read up on how to freeze it. That way, if you end up with more than you were anticipating, you'll know how to save it from going to waste. 

Whew! Okay! Do you feel prepared to get out there and pick all of the season's bounty? Do it!! 

The Essentials:
Detering Orchards
30946 Wyatt Dr.
Harrisburg, OR 97446
541-995-6341
deteringorchards.com

Parking: Plenty of free parking
Cost: Free to visit the farm. Cost of produce depends on what you're picking.
Food: Detering's has a cute little snack shack where you can buy food and drinks. However, we've often taken our own food, and that's okay too. 
Nursing/Resting Spots: There are picnic tables near the farmstand, but out in the fields you'll have to sit on the ground. 
Bathrooms: There are bathrooms near the farmstand, but once you get out into the fields, I think you're out of luck. 
Time Frame: We picked 8 pounds of cherries and spent a bit of time poking around the farmstand and playing on the playground. Counting the drive out to the farm and back, we spent 2 hours and 15 minutes of our Sunday afternoon picking our cherries. But if you visit a farm closer to town, you could pick way faster, or alternatively, you could take way more time checking stuff out. 
Push or Wear: Wear - strollers will be a pain on the rough farm ground.

Happy Adventuring!

Alrighty folks. Today we're talking about two fun June events. I'm going to try to keep the chit chat to a minimum in order to avoid this post becoming a kajillion words long. Here we go!

1. Springfield Police Department holds it's 20th annual K9 Competition this Saturday. You guys, this is so much fun. Please take your family and go!

Details
When: Saturday, June 13th, from noon - 3 pm
Where: Silke Field (Springfield High's football stadium) 
What: K9 units from all over Oregon come and compete in super cool events. These are some impressive dogs. Every year we are blown away. You'll get to see the dogs sniff out a "bad" guy, navigate an obstacle course, chase and "bite" a "bad" guy, and more. Afterwards you can meet the dogs and officers and take your picture with them.  
Cost: Free!! 
Parking: Plenty of free parking
Bathrooms: Yep
Time Frame: You can come and go as you please. Super causal. Since it's free, you don't need to feel badly if your kiddo gets bored and throws a fit and you have to leave after only an hour. No biggie. 
Food: Hot dogs, chips, pop, and maybe candy (I can't remember if there's candy...) are available for purchase at really reasonable prices. The proceeds go to the K9 program. We always plan on eating lunch there, since it's for a good cause, and because hot dogs are the best. 
Resting/Nursing Spots: You'll sit on the bleachers, so bring blankets to sit on or some of those portable stadium chairs with backs. 
Push or wear: Wear those babies. Since you're going to be in the bleachers, you'll want to leave your stroller at home if you can. 

Good to Know:

• Sometimes the action slows down a bit as dogs and handlers get organized and prepared for events. If your littles get antsy, you'll need to take a few books or something to fill the gaps. - The dogs are super friendly when you meet them, but during the competition they run fast, bark, bite handler's arms (when they're wearing a protective sleeve), and display other semi-intimidating behaviors. If your kiddo is inclined to be frightened by that sort of thing, be sure to talk about it beforehand.
• Here's a video of the competition in 2011. Super cool!

2. The McKenzie River Trust is an organization that protects and cares for rivers and the lands around them in western Oregon. They're holding their 6th annual Living River Celebration on Saturday, June 27th. Put it on your calendar right this second.

Details
When: June 27th, from 7 am - 5 pm (actually the gates just close at 5, but you can stay until sunset if you want.)
Where: Green Island - the property has no address, but you can put the address of the nearest house ( 31668 Green Island Road Eugene, Oregon 97408) into your map app to get you there. It's about 15 minutes outside of town. 
What: This property usually isn't open to the public, so they open it up to let everyone enjoy it for this event. It is truly a fun and beautiful spot. You should absolutely go. 
Cost: Free!!
Parking: Free parking
Bathrooms: Port-a-potties
Time Frame: As much time as you want. Pack a picnic and spend a few hours exploring. You won't regret it. 
Food: There is food for sale, but you're also welcome to bring your own. The website has a list of participating vendors. 
Resting/Nursing Spots: Not really a ton. The website says to bring chairs or a blanket for picnicking. 
Wear or Push: Sturdy jogging strollers will be fine. Otherwise, wear the babies. 

Good to Know

• We had literally no idea what this event was when we attended for the first time last year. We just showed up. While we're so very glad we did, because it was a blast, it was sort of difficult to figure out what was going on. It's run by volunteers and is sort of...causal. There are several trails that you can hike, but last year they were poorly signed and it was impossible to tell how long any trails were or whether they looped you back to the main Hub or what. So don't be afraid to ask for help from any of the friendly volunteer staff. 
• The Hub is where a lot of the action is. There is food, live music, and lots of cool opportunities for the bigger kids to check outdoorsy stuff like climbing trees or paddling around in a canoe. 
• If you register your family in advance online you'll be entered to win a $100 gift card to REI. Registration isn't required, but they're encouraging it so they can track how many people to expect.
•  If you can, go during the hours that Ninkasi and Oakshire breweries will be pouring (noon-4). Last year they were pouring full size pints for free! 
• Be sure to wear appropriate footwear - you'll be walking lots on gravel and dirt paths. Last year there were some puddles and my kiddo had a wonderful time splashing around in those. 
• There are hay rides! They're such a wonderful way to check out the giant property if you have littles with tired legs. However! Last year they only did a few, and initially they said we'd missed them all. However, the tractor driver tour guide said that if my family sat on the trailer bed and recruited enough people to fill it up, he'd take us all out for a ride. So we did, and he did. So friendly, right?! Be sure not to miss the hay ride! 
• The McKenzie River Trust's website is super well done - organized, easy to navigate, and really informational. Spend some time poking around there before you go, and you'll be way prepared to enjoy yourself. 
• Really, this is just a chance to check out a cool outdoor spot that you normally wouldn't get to enjoy. It is an awesome opportunity.
  

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Megan Defferding is the mom to two super fun boys who love to find great stuff to do all around Lane County! Check out her blog series, Happy Adventuring, weekly on GoMomGo.

Fanfare! Drum rolls! Cutting of ribbons and such! Summer has officially arrived, because the city has turned the water features on at the parks! Which means the next three months of your life will be filled with dumping sand out of shoes and trying to fit your four year old in a pair of 24 month shorts because the ones that fit him got wet and you really need to go into Costco because for some reason your family is constantly demanding to be fed. So, to kick things off, why don't we take a look at one of my family's favorite parks. It's probably one you hang out at too.  

Oakmont Park
2295 Oakmont Way 
Eugene, OR 97401

This park is super popular, and I think there are 3 reasons why: 
1. It's centrally located.
2. Hello you can walk to Starbucks!
3. It's actually a really great park. 

Here's what we like:
- There is a very fun little pretend house that is always a hit.
- Great water features - both a small spray and play to run in and a pouring/pipe system near the sand
- Lots of shade
- A great play structure 
- Lovely hills all around - perfect for running out the crazies!
- It's set pretty far from the road
- Surrounded by a nice paved trail for bikes and other wheels
- Water fountain
- A few garbage cans
- A fun little patch of bushes that makes little kids feel like explorers
- Sand. I can't stand the stuff but it sure keeps littles busy. Have we talked about the magic of baby powder? I can't remember. Anyway, put a shaker of baby powder in your bag. Shake it all over those sandy hands and feet, and the sand will wipe right off. Easy peasy. 
- There's a basketball hoop, so you can rock a game of horse if you have big kids!

Here's what we don't so much like: 
- No bathrooms
- Parking is sort of a pain - you have to cross a pretty busy street if there aren't any open spaces right in front of the park (there are crosswalks but no light to guarantee you the right away) 
- I feel like the structure isn't super accessible for really small ones. There is a very steep bridge and an equally steep tunnel that can be slightly intimidating. That being said, we've been going to Oakmont since my biggest boy could walk, and he's never complained. :) 

Thought of the day: You know that bag that you're always hauling to the park? The overflowing tote with the snacks and the sunscreen and the hats and the shovels and the wipes? Okay, well I've been using a canvas bag that was super handy because it had a zipper, which meant that when it tipped over, all the stuff wouldn't come tumbling out. However, it was so little! Way too small to fit all of the stuff that littles require for a long afternoon at the park. So a friend of mine brilliantly shared that she uses an IKEA bag. You know, one of those huge blue plastic ones? (Note: It's officially called FRAKTA which is not only an entertaining thing to say but also 99 cents!) So now that's what I do, and I LOVE it. It doesn't matter if the bag gets wet or sandy. It's giant, so you won't leave anything behind. And even though it's so big that you sort of have to dig to find what you want, it opens up so widely that it's not really a problem. Try it!

The Essentials: 
Address: Oakmont Park, 2295 Oakmont Way, Eugene

Parking: Free street parking. Sometimes when it's super crowded you have to park just a bit down the street. 

Cost: None

Food: Also none. Pack some up in your IKEA bag. ;)

Resting/Nursing spots: There is plenty of shade, and a few benches and picnic tables. Lots of good options!

Bathrooms: Nope

Time Frame: A few hours, no problem

Happy Adventuring! 

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Megan Defferding is the mom to two super fun boys who love to find great stuff to do all around Lane County! Check out her blog series, Happy Adventuring, weekly on GoMomGo.