5 Reasons to Love Summer Berry Picking
- Little Chewz
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Why We Never Leave the Forest Without a Basket of Berries
Chewz Journal • Tranquil Treehouse
This morning, I found Aunty Monique exactly where I expected she would be. Not inside the treehouse, or in the kitchen. She was tucked between the berry bushes, quietly filling another little basket.
"There are still so many," I said. She smiled.
"That's the wonderful thing about summer. It only lasts a little while, so we enjoy every berry we can."
As we wandered through the forest together, she shared five reasons she never lets berry season pass her by.
1. Berries Are Tiny Antioxidant Powerhouses
Aunty Monique says one of her favourite summer traditions is eating berries every day because they're naturally packed with antioxidants. Many berries such as like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, also provide vitamin C and other plant compounds that help protect our cells from everyday wear and tear.
"Summer gives us exactly what our bodies need most," she said as she dropped another berry into the basket.
Treehouse Adventure
While we were hanging out together that day, the kids wanted to create a rainbow berry board. They said that Instead of serving one type of berry, we could arrange several colours together.
Then, everyone can taste:
one red berry
one blue berry
one purple berry
one almost-black berry?
This got everyone tasting new berries, with no pressure and it was a fun adventure to discover a new favourite.
2. They Help Our Tummies Feel Happy
Berries are naturally high in fibre, which helps support healthy digestion and keeps us feeling satisfied after a snack.
"Little seeds can do surprisingly big jobs," Aunty Monique laughed.
Treehouse Adventure
"Let's be a berry detective!" shouted one of the kids. So aunty Monique gave everyone a magnifying glass before snack.
We looked closely at each berry and tried to answer as many questions as we could such as:
Which one has tiny seeds on the outside?
Which has little pockets inside?
Which looks like tiny jewels?
Tommy was really excited about this activity. He was one of the little brothers hiding in the trees afraid to try new foods. But, sometimes noticing food is the first step toward trying it. He eventually came out and tried a strawberry!
3. They Taste Best Right Now
Aunty Monique follows the old tradition of eating with the seasons. In many cultures, including Ayurveda, seasonal foods are valued because they're fresh, naturally abundant, and part of the rhythm of the year.
"The forest always seems to know what's ready before we do."
Fresh summer berries are often sweeter, juicier, and more flavourful than berries shipped long distances.
Treehouse Adventure
On one of the nature tables, Brielle was creating a tiny passport with a page for every berry she was going to try this summer.
For each one, she added:
Flavour ratings
Smile ratings
Berry drawings
And where she found it
She challenged herself to fill every page before autumn arrived and it was time to go to Harvest Hallow.
4. Every Berry Tastes Different
No two berries are exactly alike. Some are tart, some are sweet, some are juicy and some are earthy. Trying different berries helps children (and adults!) expand their palate one small bite at a time.
Treehouse Adventure
After we gathered a basket full of berries, we placed them in tiny tasting cups with three or four different berries. Then we closed our eyes before trying each bite. We tried to guess which berry we were eating! We noticed that just removing the colours made us notice the flavours more!
5. Berry Picking Slows Us Down
Before we ever tasted a berry...we had to notice it first. We looked carefully and picked only the ripe ones. I told the kids that berry picking naturally encouraged us to be patient, observe, and spend more time outdoors.
"The berries aren't in a hurry," Aunty Monique said. "Maybe we don't have to be either."
Treehouse Adventure
To end the day, we decided to set a timer for five minutes, then see how many berries everyone could collect without talking. Instead of racing we...
Listened.
Noticed.
Looked around.
When the timer ended, we compared what everyone saw while the forest was quiet.
Before We Headed Home
As the baskets grew heavier, we started back toward the treehouse. A few berries had already disappeared along the trail. Aunty Monique pretended not to notice.
"That's another secret," she whispered. "The sweetest berries are usually the ones you eat before you get home."
I think she might be right.
Bonus Treehouse Tradition
This summer, have everyone choose one berry they've never really given a chance. It could be blackberries or gooseberries or maybe haskap berries.
Try it in three different ways before the end of summer such as fresh, in a recipe, or frozen.
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