Andy picking Apricots
昨日は午後から雨の予想（鮎釣りの解禁なのに・・・ 釣りの皆さんがかわいいそうでした）だったので、午前中は子供達と一緒に自転車で出かけて、親戚の杏の木に行って杏狩りしました。まだ尼酸っぱいけど、一部は柔らかくて甘かった。とにかく、子供達に果実はスーパーで育っているのではなくて、太陽の下で木から出る事は認識させたかった。実際の杏の木へ行って、自分の手で取って、その場で食べてみるのは一番良いんだ。
この千曲市の森地区は杏で有名です。「あんずの里」とも呼ばれています。杏の木の本数は日本一だそうです。杏狩りはもちろん、そしてピック下杏は今度ジャム作りや缶詰の体験もできます。詳しくは千曲市観光協会のHPへ。
Yesterday the weatherman called for rain in the afternoon (despite it being the first day of ayu fishing season -- all those guys out there fishing on the Chikuma River probably felt lousy), so in the morning I grabbed the kids and we went for a short bike ride over to a couple of apricot trees that some relatives own. The fruit was still a bit tart, but there were a few that were soft and juicy. Besides, I think it's important that our kids understand that fruit doesn't grow on supermarket shelves, but out in the sun on trees. Going to an actual tree, picking the fruit yourself and eating it then and there -- that's the best way!
Here in Chikuma City, the Mori district is famous for apricots. Nicknamed the "Apricot Village", it supposedly has the most apricot trees in one spot of anywhere in Japan. That's the best place to go for U-Pick apricots. In addition, there are also places to can or make jam with the fruit that you pick. For more info, check out the Chikuma City Tourism Assoc. website (in Japanese only).
