How I did it: I have a book for parents: "500 Things to do with your children before they grow up." I've always wanted to take my son, but it was either off-season or I just forgot about it. Luckily, this book had it listed as one of the activities.

The best site to find a farm near you to go fruit-picking is pickyourown.org. They have plenty of listings of farms around the country -- many that don't even have their own web sites. The wealth of information in this site is great. They also have reviews so you can see what people thought about the farms listed.

They also have listings on Christmas Tree farms and Corn Mazes.

Lessons & tips: Call ahead to make sure the farm is open and to confirm directions and make reservations if necessary. Some places require you to call-ahead to let the owner know you're coming. Others are always open and welcome walk-ins. Also, calling ahead is good so that you can make sure there are enough fruits to pick and to make sure picking season is still on. Some places are open for only a few months a year. Bring a clean basket or bucket to hold your fruits. Wear comfortable clothes and try to come when the weather is comfortable.

Resources: http://pickyourown.org is an awesome site.

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Jul 11, 2011, 10:11AM PDT | 0 comments | 7 cheers