I have so many memories stored on my phone and camera including some of the coolest micro-adventures that we’ve set off to this year. So, before the fall sets in I want to document and share some of our bright summer memories and tips, beginning with a beautiful day trip with my daughter to Driving Wind Berry Farm in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Create a Travel Notes Document for Impromptu Adventures
Earlier in the year during the peak of strawberry season, I made notes in my phone of other farms that offered fruit picking (U-Pick). One that I noted in my phone was Driving Wind Berry Farm in Indianapolis, Indiana. I did nothing with the information; only made note of it for a future visit.
In mid-July that note came in handy.
I woke up one Saturday morning and decided that my daughter and I would head to Indianapolis for a wellness day trip. My original idea was that we would visit Fort Harrison State Park for a planetarium show followed by a 45-minute session in a nearby salt cave, and top it off off with smoothie bowls from a superfoods restaurant that I have been eyeing in Carmel, Indiana.
Only plans didn’t go as such.
Instead, I got caught up with the dopamine decor at Five Below in Brownsburg, Indiana, and completely lost track of time. We missed the planetarium program and the salt cave could not get us in on the same day.
Since we were already near Indianapolis, there was no turning back. I had to create a new agenda on the fly that was just as interesting and meaningful. I took to my travel notes and immediately knew that pairing Driving Wind Berry Farm with a visit to the Fort Harrison State Park Visitor Center would make for a lovely day. Off we went.
Driving Wind Berry Farm, 6410 Michigan Road in Indianapolis, Indiana
Driving Wind Berry Farm was only about 20 minutes from Brownsburg. It is located at 6410 Michigan Road in Indianapolis, Indiana. Arriving was interesting. The farm is located in the middle of the city and I’m used to the farms being on the outskirts of towns and rural areas. This was a very new and enjoyable experience.
Once we arrived, I parked and headed to a kind-looking woman who worked there and was happy to help us get started. She explained what they had and how to go about enjoying our visit. I decided that we would purchase one container (I believe a pint) and begin with blueberries and end with blackberries. And, that’s exactly what we did.
Picking Blueberries for the First Time
Once we had our instructions, my daughter and I set over to the blueberries to begin picking blueberries for the first time. Since I had never picked blueberries, I didn’t know what to expect, but I did think that we would be picking them from my idea and experience of a farm. Things were a little different than I expected. The blueberries grew in large buckets.
They were delicious and my daughter couldn’t help herself from constantly pecking on the blueberries we had picked.
Picking Blackberries for the First Time
Once we had half of the container filled, we walked down to the other end of the farm to the blackberries and spent more time there. When we arrived at the blackberries, we saw a family/friend group with children. I offered to take photos for them because the mom could only capture the kids.
From life experience, I always want to help a mom get in the photos, too! As a mom, sometimes I look back at significant milestones and notice that I was not in the photo and it breaks my heart, so whenever I see a mom taking photos of the kids, I always offer to capture her in the photos, as well. With all of that being said, I took several photos for them and she did the same for me.
After that, they kindly told me where the best blackberries were and we got to pick them. The blackberries were some of the most beautiful and delicious blackberries that I’ve ever eaten and seen. They were clean-looking, plump and juicy. My daughter would not stay out of the container! Ha! Once we had a full container, we headed into the farm store to pay and leave.
Final Thoughts
As we ended our visit, I reflected on how satisfying our experience was. Everyone that we encountered at the farm was pleasant and friendly. While this was our first visit, I can’t promise that it will be our last. From the looks of things, it looks as if they offer additional activities such as wagon rides, bonfires, etc. So, perhaps one beautiful fall day or early evening we may find ourselves back at Driving Wind Berry Farm.
Sometime soon, I’ll share a bit about our time at the Fort Harrison State Park Visitor Center. In the meantime, if you have not created a Travel Notes document on your phone, I would strongly encourage you to do so. You never know when you’ll have the opportunity to
