Last year during berry picking season, I felt it. That tug of nostalgia. I wasn’t sure at first what was going on, but by mid-season I realized that the berries had a hold on me. Picking berries is more than just another harvest. For me, it’s about childhood. Ducks and strawberries. It’s about Mom’s blackberry pie and marianberry jam. It’s about friends and summertime. Stained hands and scratched arms. Berries have been woven through my life-fabric and the memories I have of times shared with loved ones enjoying berries, are priceless.
Way back, even before my parents moved my family out to the country, we had a huge strawberry patch in our back yard that was always swarmed by snails. One day, Mom and Dad brought some ducks home and the snails were history! Strawberry glory!
Way back, even before my parents moved my family out to the country, we had a huge strawberry patch in our back yard that was always swarmed by snails. One day, Mom and Dad brought some ducks home and the snails were history! Strawberry glory!
Many summers I spent with my friend Donna, going down to the creek and picking blackberries. The bushes were so large, we fought our way into the brush to find the “perfect” berries and ate our fill. We’d bring some home for my mom to make pie. Donna got caught in the vines one time and had a battle scar on her leg after that. We were berry warriors! Those were some of the best summers I can remember.
Later, grown with kids of my own, care packages would come from Mom…homemade marianberry jam. Such a delicious treat on my toast for breakfast!
Later, grown with kids of my own, care packages would come from Mom…homemade marianberry jam. Such a delicious treat on my toast for breakfast!
And the first time Rocky (my turtle) discovered a mulberry tree in the yard, her face all purple from gorging on the ripe berries, endeared me forever to that much maligned fruit.
Last year, I had some new friends to pick berries with. Sammy and Bella got up with me every morning and made the trek out to the hedgerow where the berries were waiting.
Last year, I had some new friends to pick berries with. Sammy and Bella got up with me every morning and made the trek out to the hedgerow where the berries were waiting.
Lots of berries! A berry wonderland!
All those berries, meant a lot of baking and canning.
 Mulberries |  Mulberry Lemon Sweet Bread |
 Black raspberries |  Black Raspberry Peach Jam |
 Blackberries |  Blackberry cobbler |
But I found more than berries out in the brush. I found sunrises. I found nature’s beauty. I found serenity. I found this little bird.
I also found ticks, spiders and mosquitoes. But that’s another story. :)
This year, go pick yourself some berries. You’ll have a nice treat to take home and maybe even some precious memories. Like this one:
This year, go pick yourself some berries. You’ll have a nice treat to take home and maybe even some precious memories. Like this one:
Morning dew still on the grass, sunrise, birds singing and Bella blazing the trail for me.
Picking berries...who knew?
Lots of "berry" good adventures over on our FB page too. www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer I hope to see you there! :)
Picking berries...who knew?
Lots of "berry" good adventures over on our FB page too. www.facebook.com/thepocketfarmer I hope to see you there! :)
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