Enjoy life now... it has an expiration date.



Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Still here...up to my neck in blueberries!

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Yet!

We have a bumper crop of blueberries this year. Now, I love blueberries, but this is a major task!

We have over a dozen mature bushes, most of them 10-12 feet high and generously wide. Translation: Many hours in the hot sun picking berries while fending off the wasps that love them as much as we do. Then, for each picking session, several more hours sorting and freezing the berries. We usually start picking the first week in July and continue through the first week of August. By then we've seen enough of the yummy sweet berries.

I'll try to get back to blogging as soon as I can. In the meantime, I'll be on a ladder, bucket in hand, reaching for the biggest berries!

21 comments:

artbykarieann said...

phew that sounds busy! I love blueberries and am so envious of your bumper crop!

Ann said...

You can send some to me. We had blueberry bushes at our old house, though not as many or as big as yours, but I do miss having my own stash of berries safely stored in the freezer throughout the winter.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Teresa - much the same applies to strawberries and raspberries here - you don't feel you can let them go to waste do you? At least you are out in the good, fresh air!

Teresa Mallen said...

I shall be thinking of you on your ladder. Enjoy your picking - August will be here soon enough. Ahhh blueberries!

Rosie said...

Wow, I can't imagine that many blueberries - sounds like hard but rewarding work. Mind those wasps:)

: ) said...

ID LOVE TO DO THAT !

you are very lucky.
blueberries are one of my favorites.

have fun
:)

Teresa said...

Hi Karie-Ann,
Would send you some blueberries if I could (I think they'd be mushy by the time they arrived in the UK!)

Hi Ann,
Next time you head to the coast, stop in and I'll be happy to give you plenty of blueberries!

Hi Weaver,
Swap you some blueberries for some raspberries? Yum! I LOVE raspberry jam! :-)

Hi Teresa,
Oh, dear... by the time August arrives I'll be ready to chop down the bushes! ;-)

Hi Rosie,
You hit the nail on the head... hard work, but rewarding. Care to come help? :-)

Hi Heidi,
Guess we are lucky...would send you some blueberries if they weren't so perishable.

Lynne said...

Wonderful to be able to enjoy the fruits of your labours when the season has passed and you've forgotten all the hard work it took.

Laure Ferlita said...

Enjoy them while you can! I just had to buy a pint at the store yesterday because our crops have come and gone!

Cathy Gatland said...

Sounds like blueberry heaven - except for the wasps! I remember your last picking season...a year ago already!

ArtistUnplugged said...

Wow, that is a draining and time consuming task!!!! How funny, I am baking a blueberry cobbler today, my son loves it. Wish I had some of your big, fat, fresh ones!

Unknown said...

Hi Terea. WOW we have 2 little Blueberry bushes.. and they are all of about 3' high. LOL.
We have been searching for more bushes but right now it's the wrong time of the year. The ones we have are loaded in flowers and many Bee's
Hope we get a good feed when they fruit.
Hope you are having fun with the picking. They have to be the ymmiest fruit.
Hugs

Pattern Patisserie said...

You must have had much better weather in NC than here in Maine where it has rained almost non-stop for about SIX weeks...I live next to a blueberry barren (wild blueberries...the little ones) and they are far behind where they should be at this time of the year....enjoy your bounty!!

Edgard Ájax said...

Teresa, gostei do teu blog!
www.ajax-noticias.blogspot.com
Seja "seguidor" em meus blogs?
www.ajax-pucci.blogspot.com
Tks,
AJAX PUCCI

Christine Perry | Graphite Art said...

Oh how I wish I could be there picking blueberries. These are among some of the favorite memories I have, picking blueberries in the forest all day long with my mom.
Anyway, Teresa, when you have a moment of time please check out my blog. I have an award for you.

Gary Keimig said...

If you overpick I will send you my mailing address. Blueberries are a staple daily food of mine. Great in cereal. Great in pancakes. Great on ice cream. Great from the hand to the mouth.

indiaartist said...

Yesterday on Oprah Show they had a lot of good things to say about blueberries, especially anti-aging properties of blueberries. It is great to hear that you are so close to nature, you are busy and you are happy.

Michelle said...

Wow...how wonderful and yummy! Except for the wasps, ouch! Wishing you a lovely summer!

ellie said...

MMMmmmmm love blueberries, hope it's a good season here in Sweden too. People are very secretive about where their blueberry picking places are. It usually means lots of walking in the woods, and lots of biting insects here too ! Good luck !!

Jan said...

I see this post was made a while ago but I'm assuming you're still picking blueberries! We've tried several times to plant some bushes but have not had one bush live to date! Weird because we have tons of other fruit trees/shrubs.

Enjoy this time while you can - this winter you'll appreciated it even more! Want my favorite blueberry muffin recipe? lol

Jo Castillo said...

You seem to be accomplishing a lot away from your blog. Sounds so yummy. I've been away but not accomplishing as much. Take care on the ladder and in the sun. I'm thinking blueberry milkshake....ymmm.

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