Many days leave me feeling utterly spoiled. Even with a huge bruise on my leg from handling a lamb who didn’t want to be medicated and scratches on my arms from moving through rough brush, I feel like the most fortunate person alive.
After a long day of work, I took a moment to walk slowly around my property, gathering berries. Black raspberry season is just wrapping up – I was able to find about a cup of sweet, crunchy berries on my walk. We do not have a large population of true blackberries with their vicious thorns and inevitable large spiders (what is it with the large spiders in the blackberry patches?). Black raspberries are my favorite for saving for later. In the depths of winter when nothing is in season, they are my go-to for a milkshake to boost my vitamin levels and shake the blues a bit.
I also found a few raspberries. We have raspberries near the murderbarn. I am not sure if they were intentionally planted or if they are wild volunteers, but the berries are not as sweet as I would like. I only located and picked a few.
Our apple crop is out-of-control this year. Our property contains dozens of old, shaggy apple trees dotted with mealy, dry, feral apples. Only one tree produces tasty fruit, so I watch that tree carefully. Last year was an off year, with only a few apples on the good tree. This year, the tree is weighted with the bulk of crisp, lovely apples. I’m already digging up that apple chutney recipe that was so delicious.
Our land does not support blueberries, which need a very acidic soil. I am spoiled, again, from having access to wild mountain blueberries back in New Hampshire, where I grew up. Planting cultivated ones doesn’t really appeal to me. To me, cultivated blueberries are sour, not sweet, and lack the rich flavor of the wild-type berries. So I will go to New Hampshire for blueberries and leave the cultivated ones for others to enjoy.
We do, however, have gooseberries. I don’t recall the gooseberries fruiting before this year, but we have quite a few plants. Anyone know what to do with these weird, blandish berries? They have a texture like a kiwi and a bland sweet/tart flavor. I’m open to ideas!