Spending the Morning Strawberry Picking at Maxwell’s Farm in Cape Elizabeth

I originally posted this blog a few years ago and have updated it for the current strawberry season. I picked my strawberries this morning and I’m getting ready for another round of pie making today.

One of the many joys of summer is that it is berry filled. The end of June is the kick-off to strawberry season here in Maine. There is nothing better than enjoying them freshly picked, but you have to be quick. At only 3 to 4 weeks long, the strawberry season is short, like most things in Maine.

The strawberry season generally runs from the end of June to the end of July. This year was a really late start because of our rainy, cool spring but they’re finally ripe now.

Last year on July 4th weekend, my youngest daughter and I ventured out to Maxwell’s Farm in Cape Elizabeth and picked a heaping flat of strawberries. Fresh strawberries are amazing, but you need to enjoy them as soon as possible after picking. The shelf life is short-lived which is generally not a problem at my house because they are devoured rapidly especially around the Fourth when we usually have a full house.

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Fourth of July Banner

#atozchallenge | O is for Ocean Park Fourth of July Parade

An article in the Boston Globe by Christopher Muther, “From Maine to Cuba, the hot places for travel in 2016” offered Ocean Park, Maine as a suggested vacation destination this year. It’s an eclectic list and, although I’d love to visit any of the vacation spots included in the article, Ocean Park is one trek I happily make every year.

The article highlights that the best time to go to Ocean Park is July 4th because of their annual holiday parade. I grew up in Saco, a neighboring town, and my family still has a home in the Ferry Beach area just up the road from Ocean Park so I understand the appeal. The whole parade experience feels like a throwback to an earlier time, as does the town.

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