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What's Cooking on 1060: "Pick-Your-Own" Farm

By Hadas Kuznits

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With the kids getting out of school for the summer this month, one popular child-friendly activity is a "pick-your-own" farm. So why have many local farms evolved from only producing commercial crops to incorporating educational activities?

Farmer Gary McKeown of Maple Acres Farm says it's getting increasingly more difficult to make it as a local, family owned farm.

"We're the last working one in Plymouth Township."

He says his grandfather bought it in 1916. The trend to pick your own produce started about 20 years ago, and he says as more food gets produced commercially, there's less of an opportunity to see how it's grown.

"I think they have to see it more and that's what's happening here. They're seeing it."

Kuznits: "Well the less farms there are, the less they're able to see it."

"Exactly."

In South Jersey, Joyce from Galloway Township was at Johnson's Farm out in the strawberry fields.

"I bring my grandchildren. I think it educates them, to learn what it is all about, where the vegetables and fruit come from."

"I learned that it's hard work to get fresh fruit from the vine and it tastes a lot better."

"It's too easy to bring it in from California, just buy it at the grocery store -- and now you can buy your groceries on the internet!"

Kids of any age can come out and see how the food grows.

"I love to eat strawberry picking."

Kuznits: "How do they taste?"

"Good and juicy!"

Meanwhile, Farmer McKeown says with pick-your-own, you have to make sure you have produce throughout the entire growing season.

"We plant crops like even tomatoes, just like we do sweetcorn, every week. So they come in all summer long."

As a farmer, he says he's learned to plan ahead. He also says seeing how things grow builds his appreciation.

Kuznits: "What have you learned about life from being a farmer?"

"Don't take anything for granted."

Hear the full podcast (runs 5:24)…

And for this week, that's "What's Cooking on 1060!"

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