The Dewberries are Ripe!

I have been keeping an eye on the dewberries for a couple of months now. I have watched as they bloomed, leaving the fields covered with snow white blossoms, which fell away to reveal tiny little green clusters, which grew into larger white ones. They started reddening about a week ago, and are now finally turning a deep purplish-black. I have brought in a few to add to porridge and yogurt. Today I got the first good picking of them, resulting in about half a gallon. Not bad for the first batch!

I love living off of the land and it doesn't get much easier than foraging for nature's gifts. I spend all year cultivating the garden and taking care of the animals. Daily work to get things to grow. It is so nice to be able to harvest something with so little work! All I have to do is give the fields a final good mowing around October, and then leave them alone. The most difficult part is fighting with the briars to get to the berries. I admit, I look like I got in a fight with several angry cats! It keeps the chickens from stealing them all before I get to them, so I can't complain. My chickens are lazy and prefer easy meals. Any plants I put in pots are considered a delicacy, and their favorite treat is dog food, which they sneak through the back door to steal every chance they get. Briars are too much work for them. I wish they felt the same way about my strawberries... I wish I knew what they tasted like. I've never had one... The chickens get to them first every year. Another reason why I am so excited about the dewberries! I finally ended up going to the farmer's market and buying a flat of strawberries from a local farm. They were amazing!

Dewberries are basically blackberries. They grow along the ground rather than being bush-like. The berries are larger, but are usually not quite as sweet. After picking them, place them in a large bowl, fill it with cold water, and allow the berries to rest there for about 20 minutes. This brings the temperature of the berries down and cleans the dirt and any little bugs that were on them off. After that, pour them into a strainer and let them dry. Then they can then be eaten, used in a recipe, or frozen. To freeze, place in a single layer on a baking sheet and place sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, rake them into a freezer bag. That simple to have them to use year-round! They are wonderful in cobbler, porridge, yogurt, and over ice cream! I may end up making some wonderful jam and wine if I harvest enough this year. I am keeping a close eye on the bush blackberries too, which should be getting ripe in the next couple of weeks. The blueberries are getting close as well! It is the season for berries! MmMmM!!!!