Days Out: PYO

Each summer I get excited at the thought of a day's PYO, maybe it's having grown up in the countryside with my pick of homegrown apples, pears, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries. I know, it really was idyllic!

This year, with the changeable weather, the strawberry season has been delayed which, on the upside,  meant we could wait for the hubs to finish his hectic summer term at school and go as a family. On the down side, we missed the gooseberries which have always been one of my favourite fruits (especially when they're sour).

Yesterday, with the promise of lovely weather, we decided to visit Sharnfold Farm and see what we could pick. As soon as we parked up, we slathered our limbs and faces in lotion, popped Holly in her gorgeous Babybjörn coral crab Baby Carrier One and were good to go. There really is no other carrier in my mind and the colour of this one is so pretty, but definitely not sugary so even the hubs is happy to wear it. It's part of their watercolour collection that's an update on all your favourites, with new fabrics and colours you'll find impossible to resist!

Charlie is so fair that I always take extra special care to protect his gorgeous skin; I won't go anywhere in the summer without his Soltan SPF50, Next cap (it stays put on breezy days even with an active toddler) and Munchkin 360 (it doesn't leak!) filled with fresh water. Holly's much simpler being so little: it's some Soltan baby in SPF50 for her and a sunhat (similar).

I normally carry a changing bag with me, but as I wasn't sure what it would be like underfoot with the rain we've had recently, I needed something I could easily wash so loaded up my trusty extra large Lands' End natural canvas tote in khaki pebble. Having two children means it was packed to the gills with lots of bits including my KeriKit changing wallet and mat, PacaPod feeding pod, Béaba stacked formula and snack container and LittleLife Buzz Lightyear backpack and reins for Charlie (just in case!).

The weather has been so topsy turvy (I love that phrase even though it's never a good thing!) that the farmers at Sharnfold have had a battle on their hands. It means that, this year the strawberries are in tunnels with each row raised off the ground, although still hanging low enough for little hands to grab at and pop in a punnet.

Next we headed to the raspberries, my favourites, where we got to explore row upon row without a single fellow PYO-er in sight. Bliss. The raspberries were absolutely perfect but we had to remember to pop them in the punnet and hold off munching them until lunchtime!

After a stroll through the farm shop and cafe to pay for our PYO, pick up some vegetables and grab lunch, we settled ourselves (and our pickings) down on one of the picnic tables in their garden in between stints on the playground (for Charlie, not us, you understand).

We had planned to head out for another spot of PYO after lunch, but the clouds were starting to pile up ominously over the Downs so we decided to call it a day and headed home just as the first drops of rain splatted on the wind screen.

It was such a lovely day and clearly the fresh air wore everyone out as, while I'm writing this, both of the little people are asleep while the hubs is taking a nap with the pup! Why am I writing this when they're all in dreamland?!

Disclaimer: Most of the products in this post were sent to me to review but, as ever, I won't write about anything I don't like so, don't worry, you can still trust me when I say they're goodies!