Post by Uplander on Jul 5, 2008 20:32:22 GMT -5
Dear Ol’ Dad and I have a tradition in that every Fourth of July weekend we sally forth around the edges of local forest clearings and peruse the pattern of wild strawberry patches that pervade the peripheries.
Last year was a complete and utter bust. I’m not sure if it was poor pollination or what, but there were no wild strawberries to be found in 2007. But this year was a very good year.
Wild strawberries, at least in my Berkshire haunts, are quite scattered, and it takes a lot of walking, and a lot of crouching and peering into and poking into the underbrush, to find the scattered berries.
This year, spending 2 hours this morning, we were able to pick what amounted to nearly 7 cups of berries. That may not sound like many, but to the best of my recollection it’s the most we’ve ever been able to find.
Piper also seems to like them, and it was pretty funny at one point when I looked over to see my father on his knees plopping berries into his bucket, and Piper next to him with her nose in the underbrush, noisily chomping away at a few she had found as well. We also put up a litter of young pa’tridge in one patch. Looked to be about 6 birds, just feathered up. I’ll bet strawberry fed pa’tridge is darn good eating….
It took another couple of hours to destem the berries after we returned to the Old Homestead. The pie just came out of the oven. There’s enough berries left for a strawberry bread, we think. Have to make that tonight so we have it for breakfast in the morning!
Berries in the Raw
Ready to Eat
Wild Strawberry Pie
Last year was a complete and utter bust. I’m not sure if it was poor pollination or what, but there were no wild strawberries to be found in 2007. But this year was a very good year.
Wild strawberries, at least in my Berkshire haunts, are quite scattered, and it takes a lot of walking, and a lot of crouching and peering into and poking into the underbrush, to find the scattered berries.
This year, spending 2 hours this morning, we were able to pick what amounted to nearly 7 cups of berries. That may not sound like many, but to the best of my recollection it’s the most we’ve ever been able to find.
Piper also seems to like them, and it was pretty funny at one point when I looked over to see my father on his knees plopping berries into his bucket, and Piper next to him with her nose in the underbrush, noisily chomping away at a few she had found as well. We also put up a litter of young pa’tridge in one patch. Looked to be about 6 birds, just feathered up. I’ll bet strawberry fed pa’tridge is darn good eating….
It took another couple of hours to destem the berries after we returned to the Old Homestead. The pie just came out of the oven. There’s enough berries left for a strawberry bread, we think. Have to make that tonight so we have it for breakfast in the morning!
Berries in the Raw
Ready to Eat
Wild Strawberry Pie
