Went to pick the kids up at school yesterday and ran into one of the parents who I had purchased a flat of strawberries from as a fundraiser. She informed the berries were just delivered so I drove around the back of the school to the semi and waited for my haul. The kids were so excited to have fresh strawberries so early in the year (there was fresh snow on the ground just 2 days ago) they wunbuckeld thier seat belts and were staring out the windows of the van watching the flats get loaded into pick ups. I was handed my one flat and I returned to the van where many little voices asking, "Can we eat them now? Please mom, Please!!" Of course I had to say, NO!" They haven't been washed yet, wait until we get home" Home we did not directly go and as children often do they changed their attention elsewhere until we hit the driveway and as soon as I set the flat down on the counter they tore into the strawberries with me reminding them to wash them first. 2 pints were inhaled in a matter of minutes with Summer in the lead to down them the fastest. Her 2 most favorite foods are strawberries and tomatoes!! She will sneak into the garden to pick and eat a tomato!! She is the only we have that love's to garden beside her oldest sister who is grown and lives far away. The rest of the group complains about the bugs, the heat and of course the hard work of weeding. They have said many of times that they would rather starve than have to tend a garden. Hmmm...I wonder if that classifies as child abuse if I let them go hungry a day or two just to see if that would stop their complaining?? Nah...They would still complain might as well keep their bellies full so as not to add that to the long list of whining!! heehee! Okay back to the strawberries!! My plan was to make several batches of Jams, freeze a few quarts for winter, cut up fresh for some early shortcakes and a couple of strawberry pies. I started with 12 pints and I used six for Jams, the kids inhaled 2 more, I froze 2 pints and only have 2 left. I"ll have to wait until the kids get home and take a vote on whether to make shortcakes or a pies. It just amazes me how fast an entire flat of strawberries went! Luckily there is an orchard about an hour away that will have strawberries late May early June so I can make some more Jam! :) I guess next year I should double my order!