On 6/14/2014 4:38 PM, bluechick wrote:
On Sat, 14 Jun 2014 10:23:31 -0400, songbird
wrote:

ok, well enough dew should be dried off now and i can
get out and pick strawberries. we'll see how that goes
and if i'll have enough for a second large batch. i'll
pick all day, clean them up tonight and make jam
tomorrow. my lower back needs a few hours rests between
bouts of picking, standing, etc (but it is doing pretty
good which is why i know when to take a break : ) ).

I can sympathize. Dewberry picking is much the same, plus dealing
with thorns. At least with blackberries, it's mostly standing and
moving instead of kneeling and crouching. That can kill your back and
knees. Hope you had good luck with the strawberry picking and that
you had enough for a double batch.

Some years ago my daughter, seeing me rub my back from stoop picking,
bought me an Ames Garden Buddy. It is a little plastic wagon for hauling
and the handle folds down into a nice seat. I put it alongside the
raised beds (used to just put it between the rows in the in ground
garden) and scoot it along with my feet while I pick, pull weeds, or
just generally mess with the garden. Really helps with a bad back. I
have also seen one that is basically a tractor seat on four wheels,
haven't tried that one.

The Garden Buddy lives on the back porch close to the garden. May have
to get one for my Lady Wife as she keeps swiping mine.

George, who picked a peck of peppers yesterday and today.