Let's Go Strawberry Pickin'

Red, ripe, sweet and juicy – it’s strawberry time! Numerous local farms offer fields of berries.  Pack up the kids and enjoy the nice weather as you pick your own basket of these summertime fruits. Hours and picking conditions vary, so please call ahead.

Carrigan Farms

Strawberry season now open. $8 for a 4-quart basket pick-your-own, $10 for a 4-quart basket already picked. Restroom, cold drinks, take-home containers available. Children are welcome. Mon.-Sat., 8am- 8pm; Sun. 1-6pm. 1261 Oak Ridge Farm Hwy. (Intersection of 150 & 152), Mooresville. 704-664-1450. www.carriganfarms.com.

Hall Family Farm

Strawberries available through June. Opens 9am everyday. Call in advance. Strawberries are $2 per pound. Cold drinks and refreshments are available at the farm stand. 10713 Providence Road West, Charlotte. 704-562-4021. www.hallfamilyfarm.com.

Hunter Farm

Strawberries available through the end of May. Mon.-Sat., 8am-8pm; Sin., noon-6pm. $6 per bucket, $2 per quart. Buckets provided. Restroom, picnic area, cold drinks available. Please call ahead. 1324 Providence Road, Weddington. 704-846-7975.

Piedmont Produce

Strawberries now available. $8 per gallon bucket. Mon.-Fri., 8am-7pm; Sat., 7am-5pm; Sun., 1-5pm. 9601 Morgan Mill Road, Monroe. 704-753-2300.

Maple Springs Farm (Linebergers)

Strawberries available throughout May. Take-home containers available. 906 Dallas-Stanley Highway #275, Dallas. 704-922-8688.

Celebrate Mom!

May is for Moms, so treat the mom in your life to a creative handmade gift or celebrate with a special mother/daughter outing. There is plenty to do in the greater Charlotte area, here’s a list of a few of them. See our Calendar of Events for more information on each event. Happy Mother’s Day!

Places to Go…

May 8 - Mother Daughter Tea & Craft. Registration required. Grades K-5. Free. 3pm. Matthews Library. 704-595-9828. www.plcmc.org.

May 10 - Mother & Daughter Tea. Registration required. Free. 3pm. Beatties Ford Road Library. 704-336-2882. www.plcmc.org.

May 10 & 11 - Mother's Day at Daniel Stowe. $5-$10. 9am-3pm. Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. 704-829-1252. www.dsbg.org.

May 1 - Historic Mother's Day House and Garden Tour. House tours at 1:30pm & 3pm. $2-$5. Historic Rosedale. 704-335-0325. www.historicrosedale.org.

May 11 - Mother's Day with Mother Nature. Free. 1-4:30pm. McDowell Nature Center. 704-588-5224. www.parkandrec.com.

Gifts to Make…

May 5 - Mother’s Day Postcards. Ages 2-5. $2. 10am-noon. Tuckaseegee Recreation Center. 704-399-4492. www.parkandrec.com.

May 8 - Mother's Day Craft. Ages 3-5. $3. 11am-12:30pm. Jetton Park. 704-896-9808. www.parkandrec.com.

May 9 - Mother's Day Cards. Ages 3-18. $5. 10-11am, 5-6pm. 521 Recreation Center. 704-540-2426. www.parkandrec.com.

May 10 - Mother's Day "Bouquet." Free. 11am-3pm. Lakeshore Learning, Matthews. 704-849-2370. www.lakeshorelearning.com.

Mec Dec Celebration

May 17

     The Charlotte Museum of History is celebrating the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence with a free event, from 4-9pm, honoring this fascinating moment in Charlotte's history. For the first time ever, you will learn about this historic document and its local observences from all of Charlotte's historical sites. A collaboration of efforts brings you an eventing of festivities including a reading of the Declaration.

     Bring the family and enjoy a catered picnic dinner ($5 for children, $10 for adults) while you listen to colonial music or relax in the shade while play historic games. Tour the Hezekiah Alexander Home and visit the kitchen to learn about life in slavery in colonial times and how they would have been affected by the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.

     As the evening winds down, enjoy the live music and opportunity to dance, or even venture into the museum. Reservations are required. The Charlotte Museum of History is located at 3500 Shamrock Drive in Charlotte. For more information, call 704-568-1774 or visit www.charlottemuseum.org.