Yep, we're in the middle of strawberry season and we are feelin' like Forest Gump. We've had fresh strawberries, strawberry shortcake, Oat-Fashioned Strawberry Dessert, strawberry ice cream and with today's pick I think the family is finally ready to let me make jam. So tomorrow I'm jammin'! I believe I have enough for a batch of strawberry-rhubarb jam and just strawberry. I might even try some syrup making. I've never made a fruit syrup before. Hmmm....
Anywhoo... I would have never guessed we'd get so many strawberries from our two small patches. We still have them coming. We are picking only the ripest and then we let the patches sit for a day and then pick some more the next. We may not have to u-pick many or at all this year. (For berries to freeze for smoothies.)
The smallest patch is around two x four feet and is filled with Ever-bearing. They fruited all through the summer last year. The larger patch is around three x fifteen feet and I believe these are June-bearing. When we moved in last year they were already done. But both patches are really turning out the berries. I pull one of the kids out to pick with me because my back gets too sore to do it all alone purely because of the mass of berries and the time it takes to get them all picked. (I have a new appreciation for migrant workers who do that day after day for very little $$.)
Even the chickens are getting a little jaded about the fruit. They are getting all the too ripe or bird eaten, or wormy or any other reason that the berries are rejected berries. Tonight we went to put them in for the night there were still berries on the ground that they hadn't finished off.
I'm not complaining though, I have waited with anticipation for these berries and I will enjoy the "fruits" of my labor later this year when the season is done and I have put up berries sitting in my freezer and larder. I'm really trying to get out of the habit of buying things out of season so I know this strawberry window is short. The it's on to cherries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, apples and tomatoes. There is also a farm about an hour north of me that does gooseberries, currants and a few other less known fruits. I may be stopping by pick some of those goodies up. I can't wait till I have my own.
What are you doing with strawberries and what are you planning on putting up?
No comments:
Post a Comment