By Chuck Martin
The Cincinnati Enquirer

This is what they call a field trip.

Last week, Jan Eggleston, who teaches cooking classes at Harmony Community School in Roselawn, took her sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders to Spaeth Farm near Lebanon in Warren County. Their assignment: Pick the sweetest, most ripe strawberries.

Harmony Community School seventh-graders Janeiro Smith (left) and Brian Rogers collect strawberries at Spaeth farm. (Brandi Stafford photo)

"So many kids grow up eating fast food," Eggleston says. "They just go out and eat, and don't even think about where things grow."

Many of the students had never seen strawberries clinging to the vine. But after picking more than 100 pounds of juicy fruit (and eating a few pounds, too), the kids learned the berries don't sprout on the salad bar. There's some dirt and work involved.

The students' next assignment: Use their harvest to make strawberry pie and strawberry shortcake.

You don't have to be in school to take a field trip. As the Tristate's "you-pick" season begins this month, you, too, can visit a farm, pick ripe berries or other produce, and bring home the fresh bounty for the family.

Picking tips

Before you go picking fresh produce, remember to:

• Call the farm to double-check picking times and availability.

• Wear a hat and use sunscreen.

• Wear long pants and long sleeves to protect against briars and brambles.

• Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes.

• Bring shallow, lightweight pails or baskets in case the farm doesn't provide them.

• Bring a water bottle or thermos.

• Pack a snack.

• Bring cash or checks - most farms don't accept credit cards.

Community Supported Agriculture

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs function as co-op farms and provide freshly harvested produce to members, who pay membership fees and sometimes donate labor. Call for information about these area CSA programs.

Grailville Organic Gardens, 932 O'Bannonville Road, Loveland. Information: 677-3241 or www.grailville.org

Gravel Knolls Farm, 9424 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, West Chester Township. Information: 779-1190 or www.gravelknollsfarm.com

Turner Farm, 7400 Given Road, Indian Hill. Information: 561-8482