Duck races, obstacle course, berries offered for picking
Variety of family-friendly activities for children of all ages
Chase Terry, 4, of Schererville used both hands to hold up a big bucket of strawberries he picked Saturday at Johnson’s Farm Produce in Hobart.
His mom Tiffany was taking his photo as he stood inside a giant wooden strawberry during the annual Strawberry Festival, the farm’s official opening day and kick-off to the summer season.
“There are so many different things to do here,” his mom said.
Chase enjoyed picking the berries that overtopped his pail, along with feeding and petting the goats, his two favorite activities at the farm. He wasn’t ready to eat the berries just yet, he said.
“I’m saving some for strawberry muffins,” the youngster said.
Families flocked to the farm, where you can pick in-season berries such as strawberries — and blueberries and raspberries when they are ripe — for opening weekend. You pick strawberries are available throughout the week a well.
Visitors to the festival were greeted with a wide variety of family-friendly activities for children of all ages from train rides and pedal cars to a produce cannon, duck races, obstacle course and straw mountain, among other activities.
Lyndsay Johnson, festival manager, said about 6,000 people came to the two-day festival. The Strawberry Festival continues for the next two weeks and then switches to the Blueberry Festival. Johnson said after the Blueberry Festival, there is a couple week break before the farm starts back up with the Raspberry Festival, Watermelon Festival, Sunflower Festival and Pumpkin Festival. Festival weekend activities continue through the fall.
Melissa Mihailovich of Portage and her friend Jillian Polman of Valparaiso brought their children to the festival.
“We had a lot of fun last year and bought season passes this year. We come every Saturday,” Mihailovich said.
Her daughter Jolene, 2, was panning for “jewels” with other children at a sluice box set up at the festival as steady stream of water washed away the sand and dirt to reveal a variety of polished stones.
She carefully rebagged her discoveries and packed them in her backpack before heading off to see the goats, one of her favorite attractions at the farm.
Polman’s son Max, 3, was eager to ride the train.
“We come all the time. It is such a perfect family day. There is so much to do,” Mihailovich said.
The Scott family of Valparaiso have been coming to the annual strawberry festival since they moved to Northwest Indiana two years ago. Blaize Scott said he and his wife Marcie bring their children Charlotte, 4, and Garrett, 2, to all the farm’s events including the Blueberry Festival and the Sunflower Festival.
“It’s just a family outing. There’s so much to do,” he said. The kids were 3 and 1 last year when they came.
“There is just something for every age and it’s a safe environment. Everybody is here with their families.”
Marcie Scott was thrilled Saturday’s weather was cooperating. The overcast sky kept temperatures bearable.
“Last year we came, and it was hot. This year the weather is absolutely perfect,” she said.