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FOOD A Berry Good Choice Burr's Berry Farm is a Sweet Retreat Words & Photo Credit: Marta A Oppenheimer I just tasted the best strawberry of my life! This bright red piece of fruit is sweet, juicy, and crunchy, and like potato chips, I cannot stop at just one. I look at the piece of fruit in my hand and wonder, how is it possible to achieve such magnificence? Then it hits me. It is the love and attention put into growing these strawberries. It is pride. Burr's Berry Farm is family owned and operated since 1965 and that dedication shows, or should I say? —it tastes! Big red and green strawberry signs guide visitors to a place with strawberry shakes, cupcakes, cookies, jams, and much more. An adorable white and red house right off US-1 sits by the road. American flags proudly flap in the wind. Families laugh and talk while munching on hot dogs and savoring ice cream sundaes, the Florida sun warming their faces. This is the kind of image seen in a Norman Rockwell artwork or heard in the lyrics of a Bruce Springsteen song. Behind this quaint establishment are rows of strawberry fields in a place that used to be a landing strip. Where people once watched planes come and go, we now see fruit growing. Time goes peacefully by as strawberries are picked right in front of me. Mr. Charles Raymond Burrs, also known as the Strawberry King and a pilot, founded this farm with his first crop in 1960. After his passing, Charles' loving family has kept his legacy alive. Today, at 89, Mrs. Mary Burrs joins her daughter Kathy and son Charles Jr. in welcoming guests. While sipping on a strawberry shake, (a chocolate shake will no longer woo my heart) I enjoy the stories told by this family. Ask the Burrs ladies to point out the beautiful glass sign featuring a plane cruising over strawberry fields —this is a cherished family gift and the keeper of many tales. There is a tropical garden with picnic tables. This is the perfect place to sit and enjoy an afternoon eating and watching the kids take turns becoming strawberries with the help of a colorful wooden sign. Just climb upon the haystack, put your head in the hole and voila! —we can all be strawberries! This beautiful garden is also home to Purple Martins. When these birds migrate back from South America, they know that multiple little nests await their return. At Burrs, there are rows and rows of strawberries waiting to be handpicked by visitors. In this small way, the Burrs share the accomplishment felt when picking a fruit straight from the plant. Go ahead. Try it. The sense of pride is contagious. Burrs is not just about strawberries. There is more fresh produce such as tomatoes, peppers, green beans, and avocadoes. Pick your own tomato! Homemade jams, pickles, salsa, all packaged with such care and visual beauty, not only do they taste good, they make excellent gifts. How about some homemade peanut butter to go with that fresh jam? Try a loaf of banana nut bread so sweet, soft, and packed with so many nuts every bite is a piece of nutty heaven. And, they have chocolate covered strawberries, the perfect little treat for the love of your life. Valentine's Day is just around the corner (Hint. Hint.). Whatever you are looking for, a lovely family outing, a unique gift, or just a snack for the road, Burr's Berry Farm is the place to go. The farm is located at 12741 SW 216th St| Miami 305-251-0145 burrsberryfarm.com. Open from December to early May from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM every day. ML MIAMI LIVING 75