Cold snaps have swept Tai'an city in East China's Shandong province, but locals never fail to find ways to spend the bleak winter, and a date with greens in greenhouses has been the most favored pastime.

Shanggao Farmland launched its strawberry picking festival in Weijiazhuang village of Tai'an on Dec 9, attracting numerous citizens to enjoy an early sweet taste of spring.

Besides 18 greenhouses full of strawberries, other greenhouses of mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumbers and delicate succulent plants were also open to visitors.

"Picking vegetables at the farm in winter brings me the happiness of harvest, and I feel more intimate with nature," one visitor said.

The farm also makes strawberry related specialties with other fresh fruits, including jams, jellies and cans, in an effort to add sweetness to the winter.

Locals pick strawberries in greenhouses in Tai’an in Shandong province. [Photo/tarb.cc]

Cucumbers are burgeoning in the greenhouses of Tai'an, Shandong province. [Photo/tarb.cc]