Livin’ in Liverpool: Strawberries celebrated at Abbott Farms

You’ve tasted bacon burgers, sure, but Abbott Farms are shaking up that tried-and-true tandem. Come on, take a walk on the wild side!

At the Abbott Farms Strawberry Festival on Saturday, you can gobble up a strawberry bacon burger, and you might cap off that sweet-and-salty lunch with crushed berries over shortcake and whipped cream.

The family-owned farm will host its berry bash from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 16, at Abbott Farms Country Store, 3275 Cold Springs Road, a few miles northwest of Liverpool.

Saturday’s Strawberry Festival will also feature barnyard crafters, kids’ games and races, cider slushees and a steak bake to benefit Gigi’s Playhouse, which offers free educational programming to individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

U-pick season

And, of course, you and your entire family can forage Abbott’s fields for fresh berries.

Now some farmers don’t want kids in their fields — too much damage, waste, and loss — but the Abbotts welcome children to their berry patches because they know kids need fresh air, healthy food and strong bodies.

The U-pick schedule offers strawberries in June and July, cherries in late-June and July, raspberries in July and August and blueberries from July through September. Prunes and apples can be picked in the fall, and plenty of people visit the pumpkin patch around Halloween-time. U-pick hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The Country Store is a great place to shop for unusual gifts and edibles. Where else can you buy free-range beef, homemade fudge and pickled quail eggs?

Piglets and bunnies

Lovely livestock can be petted and fed at the Abbott’s barnyard. Two baby pigs — Oreo and Doublestuff — recently welcomed two new bunny rabbits — Copper and Penny. The menagerie also features a resident herd of goats, chickens and beef cattle. Ducklings are expected by the end of this month.

Small bags of feed can be purchased for visitors to help care for the animals which are intentionally hand-fed so they’re always friendly with people, especially those offering food.

Abbott’s Farms is a happening place all year ’round, but during strawberry season it’s really something special; (315) 638-7783; abbottfarms.com.

Rockin’ at Redhouse!

Two of the instructors at this summer’s Redhouse Rock Camps are alums of Liverpool High School — Brandon Reese Morse and Mike Spadaro.

Morse began his fellowship with the Redhouse after receiving his M.A. in media and education from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communication. As a graduate of the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences, Reese worked as a studio sound engineer at Quad Recording Studios in NYC, and he’s currently playing drums for the local band Slow Train.

Spadaro plays bass with Skunk City and three other Syracuse bands whose styles include rock, funk, blues, hip hop, jam, reggae, bluegrass and modern country. Mike is also a NYS-certified elementary school teacher.

The Redhouse Rock Camps will be conducted at the arts center’s new facility at the old Sibley’s location, 400 S. Salina St., down city. Kids can sign up for one of two camps, Emerging Musician or Working Musician, running weekdays from Aug. 6 to 24. Registration is open until July 23, but spaces are limited.

For info, email [email protected] or call (315) 362-2788.

Neverlys harmonize Monday

For a quick refresher course in vocal harmonies and rock and roll history, catch the Neverly Brothers Trio paying tribute to the Everly Brothers when they play a free concert at 7 p.m. Monday, June 18, at Johnson Park. The band features guitarist Arty Lenin, bassist Gary Frenay and drummer Cathy LaManna. The 33rd annual summer concert series here continues every Monday and Wednesday evening through Aug. 22; liverpoolistheplace.com.