Do you remember fruit picking as a child? I do. There were cherry and plum trees on the farm in Poland where I spent the summers. Poland shares a similar latitude to Toronto and right around this time of year (July) the branches would burst into deep red ripeness and my cousins and I similarly burst out of the house, swarming the trees like starved locusts as our grandmother waved bowls in the air yelling for us to fill them up. Of course we eventually did, but not before ravaging the trees for our own selfish gains. Some activities have the power to awaken the child in us and fruit picking is one of them – splashing around in a creek, water balloon fights and playing retro video games are others that do the trick.

No matter where you live there are U-pick farms in the area. Pickyourown.org is a website which despite it’s terrible design is the most comprehensive database of U-pick farms in the world as well as listings of what fruits are in season and recipes to try if you manage not to eat everything you pick. And with many farms using organic growing practices, there’s no better way to eat well, locally and inexpensively.

But those are just the reasons to appease the adult side. The child in us is content to lie in the shade, simultaneously loathing and relishing the sweet stomach ache that results when fruit and carefree come together.