We went to Tougas Farm on the very first day of the season, so the strawberries were ripe and ready to be picked! We left our diaper bags in the car and took short a tractor ride out to the field. The kiddos enjoyed the tractor ride so much that they didn't want to get off. With some special ops-style maneuvering, we made it onto the field and got a quick lesson in strawberry picking. The strawberry bushes were the perfect height for our two, two-year olds, and they did a great job picking only the "red berries" as opposed to the ones with the "white noses." Plus, they loved putting the strawberries in the pint-sized cartons.
I was surprised that neither of our two-year olds attempted to eat the strawberries when we were out on the field. Once we gave them the green light, however, they couldn't get enough of 'em! Once I realized that the carton of strawberries that we just picked was quickly disappearing, I decided to join the kiddos in their strawberry-eating madness. Oh. SO. Good. FRESH and juicy. You couldn't ask for a better (or healthier) snack!! Plus, we had plenty of strawberries for our cereal and lunches once we got home.
After we finished picking, we enjoyed all that Tougas Farm had to offer! We enjoyed a nice lunch on their picnic tables. Just WATCH OUT for the chickens!! I thought it would be fun to eat lunch with the chicken that was wandering around, but she was pretty fierce! She practically took our toddler's sandwich right out of his hands. Our toddler said "GO AWAY, chicken," to no success.
From there, we spent some time on the playground, which was mostly toddler friendly. They had some nice swings and slides.
Then, we spent some time at the FREE petting zoo! There was a large group of other moms there with infants in carriers. One of them commented on how Tougas Farm rivaled Davis Farmland, but that Tougas Farm was much more affordable. Our toddler loved the baby goats, pigs and chickens. After that, we visited the bake shop for some strawberry pie a la mode. Absolutely delicious!
I highly recommend a trip to Tougas Farm if you are itching to get out of the house with your baby or toddler on a nice-weather day. It is a great spot to take your older kids as well. You can check out their website here: http://www.tougasfarm.com/. It looks like strawberry season will come to a close in early July. Not to worry though! There will be plenty of fruit to pick before winter with the cherries ripening in late June, blueberries in July, peaches and blackberries in August, and apples and pumpkins in September and October. Mmmm the Macoun apples are my favorite!
Here are some additional tidbits for my fellow mamas:
- Cost (8 out of 10): Strawberry picking was very affordable at only $5.00 / per person to be applied towards the cost of strawberries, which was $3.99 / per pound. I suppose it is especially affordable if your kid eats most of the berries before you need to pay for them (just kidding!).
- Changing facilities (6 out of 10): Very clean and satisfactory if you go during the week or before it gets crowded. There was only one restroom with a koala changing pad, which is better than nothing. I suppose you can always change your kiddos in the car if necessary. The soap dispensers were full and the bathrooms had sinks with running water.
- Stroller friendly (6 out of 10): Many outdoor activities are not entirely stroller-friendly. BUT Tougas Farm did a pretty good job with this. The tractor driver helped another mom to lift her stroller onto the tractor! There was a sign on the tractor that strollers are permitted if they are folded, but I suppose exceptions can be made if the farm isn't very crowded. The parking lot and fields are pretty bumpy, but strollers are a definite possibility if you are up for the challenge.
- Picnic friendly (8 out of 10): I would give Tougas Farm a perfect score for their picnic facilities if it weren't for the darn chickens! There were plenty of picnic tables for all to use and enjoy.
- Conveniences (7 out of 10): I recommend packing a lunch over buying a lunch there. I didn't see opportunities to purchase sandwiches or other lunch items. Tougas Farm gets credit though for having a cooler stocked full of juice and milk boxes. I would love to see some "grab and go" style brown bag lunches, but perhaps I am asking too much. There were plenty of napkins in case you need them. Check out the bakeshop for dessert items (like strawberry doughnuts) and ice cream! The bakeshop had coffee, but I cannot comment on its quality since I did not partake this time around.
- Shade (4 out of 10): Remember to bring your hat and sunscreen! There is some shade near the picnic tables, but there is practically no shade out on the fields, the playground, or at the petting zoo. Keep this in mind if you decide to go in the heat of summer.
- Nursing / feeding facilities (3 out of 10): I really didn't see a private location for moms to nurse or feed their babies. I think that your best options are to either feed the baby in the car or on a picnic table. Bear in mind that Tougas Farm can get crowded, so you may want to bring a nursing cover for comfort if that is of interest to you.
- Crowds (7 out of 10): This location can get pretty crowded on weekends, especially during apple picking season. But I haven't seen it very crowded during the week.
- Overall experience (9 out of 10): Our two, two-year olds really loved this experience! Strawberry picking held their attention for about an hour, and they loved the tractor ride. Once you get tired of picking, you can easily move on to another activity that will hold their attention -- like the playground or petting zoo or bakeshop. We were probably at the Farm for about four hours in total.
- Energy burn (9 out of 10): Both toddlers fell asleep before we left the parking lot! There were lots of places for the kiddos to walk / run around, which made for a very quiet ride home.
- Photo opportunities (9 out of 10): I absolutely love to take photos of my kiddos, especially when we're outside and doing something fun! There are lots of great opportunities for you to take your own, brightly-colored photos and capture memories at Tougas Farm.
- Location (7 out of 10): The farm is centrally located and directions are easy to follow.
