WOMEN AND MEN BY AGE GROUPS, ON
WCCO.COM/LINKS.
WHEN IT COMES TO FRESH SUMMER
FRUIT, NOTHING BEATS PICKING
THE CREAM OF THE CROP YOURSELF.
WHAT'S YOUR BEST SPOT?
YOUR VOTES SENT US WEST IN
RAYMOND.
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE TASTING
A SWEET STRAWBERRY, SUN RIPENED
RIGHT OFF THE VINE.
THE DEAL IS, HE GROWS THEM,
I SELL THEM.
WE HAVE THIS RUNNING CONTEST,
AND I WIN EVERY YEAR.
[LAUGHTER].
IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
ONE OF THESE YEARS,
[LAUGHTER].
SARAH AND DANIEL HAVE OPENED
THEIR FAMILY FARM UP TO ALL
STRAWBERRY LOVERS, SO THEY CAN
PICK THEIR OWN SWEET TREATS.
AND THEY GET A WAGON TO THE
FIELD, AND THAT'S SUCH A
HIGHLIGHT FOR THE CHILDREN.
THEY LOVE IT.
IT'S THE KIND OF EXPERIENCE
THAT SPANS GENERATIONS.
THE LAST TIME I PICKED
BERRIES, I WAS 16.
AND NOW I AM GOING TO BE 37
THIS YEAR, AND I AM PICKING
THEM WITH MY SON.
I LOVE IT WHEN THE
GENERATIONS COME OUT.
I LOVE IT.
WHEN I SEE THE KIDS COME ON,
AND APPROXIMATE THE GRAND --
AND THE GRANDS MA AND THE GRAND
THING.
THEY BEGAN IN 1999.
WE SAT WITH A 2-YEAR-OLD BOY,
EATING SUPPER AND MY HUSBAND
SAYS BY THE WAY, I BOUGHT SOME
STRAWBERRY PLANTS.
AND I SAID HOW MANY?
THINKING A LITTLE BACKYARD
GARDEN.
AND HE SAYS 1500 PLANTS.
[LAUGHTER].
WHAT FAR?
THEY HAD A -- WHAT FOR?
THEY HAD A QUARTER OF AN ACRE
AND THEY WERE GONE WITHIN A
MATTER OF MINUTES.
WE DECIDED IF WE WERE GOING TO
GET BIGGER OR GET OUT.
BY 8:15 A.M.
I WOULD HAVE TO CLOSE.
6-ACRES, AVAILABLE FOR THE
PICKING AND HOPED PEOPLE WOULD
COME.
AND THEY HAVE COME.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL.
NOW THEIR WHOLE FAMILY PITCHES
IN ON THE FARMS.
OUR OLDEST SON IS OUT OF THE
HOUSE NOW, AND WE HAVE OUR 4-
YEAR-OLD THAT DROVE THE GOLF
CART OUT TO THE FIELD
YESTERDAY.
HE SAID HE HAD TO GET
CUSTOMERS.
FRIENDS MAKE THE PIES AND SARAH
MAKES THE JAM.
IT'S TURNED INTO THIS BIG
FRIENDS AND FAMILY EXPERIENCE.
YOU PRESS YOUR HAND OVER THE
LEAF SO YOU CAN SEE THE RED.
YOU LIFT IT UP AND MAKE SURE
THE TIP IS RED.
YOU WILL GRAB IT WITH YOUR TWO
FINGERS TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T
BRUISE IT.
IT'S A PERFECT BERRY.
AND THIS IS A PERFECT SLICE
OF AMERICA.
LIKE THE BERRIES, THE FAMILY
FARM KEEPS GROWING EACH YEAR
AND SO DOES THEIR FOLLOWING.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE
WEATHER, FOR THE PEOPLE, FOR
THE BLESSING OF EVERYTHING
COMING TOGETHER.
THIS COMMUNITY IS PETTY
AWESOME -- PRETTY AWESOME.
WE ARE THE BEST IN
MINNESOTA!
THEY SURE ARE.
BERRY PICKING SEASON IS NOT
LONG, SO YOU HAVE TO GET OUT
THERE SOON.
AND THEY WANT VIEWERS TO KNOW
ALL GROWERS IN MINNESOTA ARE
GREAT.
IF YOU WANT TO FIND A BETTER
RALLY WARM, GO TO
WCCO.COM/LINKS.
HERE ARE THE FAVORITE SPOT,
ANDERSON BERRY FARM AND
LAWRENCE'S BERRY FARM.
THEIR PLACE LOOKS
SPECTACULAR.
TALK ABOUT A FUN-FAMILY
EVENT.
YES, YES.
THOSE ARE PHENOMENAL.
DELICIOUS.
THEY ARE EXCELLENT.
HOW JUICY ARE THEY?
AND THEY ARE GROWING
MONSTERS.
THEY'VE ALL THE DIFFERENT
VARIETIES AND SOME THAT ARE
LIKE THE SIZE OF SOFTBALLS AND
OTHERS THAT ARE TYPICAL SIZE.
MINNESOTA GROWN IS THE
COMPANY THEY WANTED US TO TALK
ABOUT.
WHAT'S NEXT?
WE'RE GOING TO STAY WITH IT.
HOW ABOUT THE BEST HOT DOG IN
MINNESOTA?
TWEET ME YOUR PICK AND E-MAIL
IT TO ME.