Most of you were right about our plans for yesterday's mystery field trip. We went berry picking! Each berry season is so fleeting. Abundance one day, out-and-out over the next. Since I refuse my children out-of-season berries (and many other fruits and veggies) during much of the year, we have to get while the gettin's good.
And yes, we have company coming tonight and we should have been home cleaning the house but we went picking instead. (Truth be told I am one to avoid the "shoulds" every chance I get. Because "should" rarely means "I really want to". And there's just too much should and too little joy in the world if you focus only on what has to be done. But back to the berries.)
As for the surprise or mystery element of the day, I hid the baskets from Sage (he's too sharp and would have figured me out before we pulled out of the driveway) but Lupine told him in the car that she "saw a clue" and together they figured out where we were going. We picked for a couple of hours and brought home pounds and pounds of berries for freezing, fresh eating, and jam. Sage worked out some math at home and determined that our $25 worth of berries turned into $75 worth of jam and frozen berries had we bought it at the coop. Even figuring in $5 for gas and $5 for other ingredients, we still came out way ahead – and that's without adding value for the fun factor.
So the pantry is stacked with 12 half-pints of blueberry and honey jam, two gallon bags are in the freezer awaiting winter smoothies and muffins, and everyone has blue teeth this morning from the last of the fresh eating. Not bad for a day's work.
(The beautiful Amish baskets were all a generous gift from some farmer friends whom we adore.)
Oh those look so good! maybe I need to go picking again! I’ve got several bags in my freezer waiting to be turned into syrup for Christmas gifts!
Rachel where did you go picking.
Rachel where did you go picking.
Oh and will you be at market tomorrow?
I was right — Lupine’s bonnet DID look perfect! So glad you had such bounty.
We go blueberry picking every summer. Eating our fill for breakfast, morning snacks, afternoon snacks, bedtime snacks. We can’t get enough of them…until we do and then we don’t want to eat another blueberry until next summer!
Thanks for sharing your blueberry picking moments that brought back ours.
That looks wonderful, what a beautiful way to spend the day.
My daughter just asked if we can go Blueberry picking. I said “I don’t know where I can find them now”(wrong season here). She said “It’s ok ‘cos they grow on bushes mama”.
So guess what we will be doing come blueberry season here 🙂
I LOVE blueberry picking here. There is something so satisfying about plucking them off of the bushes and seeing a growing harvest in your basket. I froze mine for jam that I need to get to making.
Random question: Have you or other readers ever used a vacuum sealer for foods before freezing? I’m wondering if I would avoid freezer burn and other issues by having one? Or if it’s one of those things modern society makes us THINK we need to have…
We did the same! Gallons in the freezer, a pie, and huckle buckle. Pancakes, fresh, blue teeth, yes!Oh and lots of pretending to be Little Sal. Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk!
Not bad at all! I do love berry season. We haven’t had a chance to go blueberry picking yet this yr. I need to get while the gettin’s good!
Yay for blueberries! We’re heading out bright and EARLY tomorrow morning! (need to make it back in time for the fair!)
About the “should’s”….
My new favorite saying is “Quit shoulding on me!” hahaha!
I would ALSO love to know where you went! I was hoping to get some from MI, but it fell thru? and I know that berry picking would be JUST the thing to get this baby here faster!
Are you local (to me that is)? I went to a place in Genoa, WI. I dont have their name off the top of my head, but he said theyd be picking through the weekend. From Genoa go N out of town to the second right – Hickory. Turn R and drive to the top of the ridge. Look for the first house on the rt (a couple of miles down). White with white detached garage, berries behind the garage. Cant miss it. Happy picking!
~ Rachel
Love it!
Have fun! If you see me at the fair say hello!
Meg,
Sage and I were all over Blueberries for Sal when he was small, but Lupine has declared little Sals adventure with the bears WAY too scary, mama. I even pulled it out yesterday, post-berry picking… hoping. Vetoed. So on to Peter in Blueberry Land we went.
~ Rachel
Susanne,
I was given one as a gift and I have a love/hate relationship with it. I love it for meat (venison, fish) as well as for veggies. My only snag is that I have to toss the bags after use. We do some creative resealing but it has its limits. I would recommend it if you found one for cheap (thrift store, craigslist, etc.). Definitely prevents freezer burn.
Lori,
Genoa. I just posted directions on another comment, so take a peek! Probably a solid 2 1/2 hours from Madison though. ~
~ Rachel
When we lived in Superior, WI we would make a trip each summer to Bayfield and pick loads and loads of blueberries & raspberries. Some of our most favorite of memories, for sure. Blueberry lavender and blueberry rhubarb are our all time favorite blueberry jams. And so precious in January too 🙂
Awesome!
Do you know the book “Blueberry Girl”…E loves it.
This post is just wonderful! Thankyou for sharing! Would you consider posting your recipe for jam? It sounds just wonderful! I am totally new to all this berry goodness…. my first experience was last fall with the blackberries… I have been watching the bushes for awhile now and keep checking on their progress. I can’t wait to start picking again and making jam! I found your blog from the rhythm of the home blog post this morning but will be a follower from now on… Stop by if you get the chance! 🙂
http://www.ourbrokenroad.blogspot.com
Hallie,
I use Pomonas Universal Pectin and use their honey/low sugar formula from the instruction sheet. Natural pectin, fool-proof jam.
Thanks for the book! Well bring it back soon.
~Rachel
Blueberry-lavender. Yum.