wild blackberries | Build Me a Dream

Time to Redefine our Lives in Oregon

Posts tagged ‘wild blackberries’

The B’s Have It!!

B stands for bumble, and honey……hornets, and wasps….they are alive and very, very active. Last week, we had a moment of warmth. The temps rose to the low 80’s and those flying things that carry stingers came out to play. The first on the list, bumble and honey, are my favorites….I don’t fear them at all. They have my permission fly around me, and we all live in perfect harmony.

Mason Bees

Their friendly counterpart, mason bees, (above) are also on that list of welcomed pollinators….they are so cute.

Hornet

However, the hornets and wasps are unwelcome in my little world. Seriously, who wants them around? As the warm weather continues, and they become abundant, they make it almost impossible to enjoy a summer picnic or meal outside. I know they are beneficial to keep pests at bay….but really, I’ll take a few more flies in exchange for less or these aggressive predators. In preparation for the warmth we saw coming, Tony hung up the hornet/wasp traps, seven of them surrounding the 5 acres we do most of our living on, a few days before the queens came out from their winter hiding places. This has truly worked to manage our wasp population…capture the queens, and soldiers can’t exist. Still, some manage to escape the attraction of the pheromones within the bright, yellow coffins…..that’s okay……we will capture your soldiers!!! BWAHAHAHAHA

B stands for blackberries. I am so excited!!! I cannot wait for these beautiful gems…..

Blackberries 2015

…..my affections for them go way back. When I was growing up in the SF Bay Area, we would go visit my grandma and grandpa in the north eastern hills of California. They lived in a couple of different places, but always, there were blackberry bushes that they would pick from. Those poignant thoughts of jams, and cobblers, and fresh picked berries from summers, and Christmas gifts with my grandparents, are fast in my memories. The blackberries I harvest from our vines taste even that much more delicious because of it.

Blackberries 2015

I have two main wild vines that I take the time to prune, and baby along. Yesterday was pruning day. I wear gloves that go up my forearms, and long sleeves, but still, the thorns find skin. I tore little holes in my shirt, and my fingers were quite sore last night, but it is all totally worth it.

April 2016

The vine above is smaller, and younger….it gives the more delicious fruit of the two.

BEFORE

This, older woodier vine gives more volume, but the fruit is seedier. Not a problem for jam since I strain out the seeds…a little less desirable for cobbler. I only prune this vine as far as I can lean in and reach with the shears….that is also how I harvest this bush…minus the shears.

AFTER

It’s a harsh briar, with a cherry tree growing up right in the middle, and is good for leaving fruit for the birds and deer. I also leave a lot of thorny, older wood at the bottom because little quail families like to hide out in there.

The aftermath… 1 of 2

It’s all about balance….we love the wildlife, they are welcome here.

B also stands for barns….but that’s another story.

Thank you for visiting the wilds of the farm today. I enjoy spending time with you!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

#wildblackberriesoforegon #pruningwildblackberrybushes #howdoyougetridofwasps

Category:

Blackberries, Insects

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Vining Our Way to Deliciousness

August is jam, and cobbler month….which means one thing on our homestead……

……the blackberries are full, ripe, and sweet.

With the lack of water this summer, it is surprising to me how many berries are hanging on these vines. Although a bit smaller, they are unexpectedly abundant…and very well protected. Of course, the ever-present thorns that make one think twice before sticking in a hand to pluck that juicy, sweet-but-tart, purple gem are fiercely on guard…there are other soldiers in the vines battle to keep it’s bounty…….

…..and as I diligently pursued the prize…hornets, wasps, and bumble bees buzzed around me, and within the vines. There was this one spot where the berries were big, beautiful, and oh so juicy…but after three attempts, I chickened out to the relentless, overwhelmingly loud message of, “DO NOT PLUCK THOSE BERRIES!” from the hornets that had claimed that particular territory. They were beautiful berries…..

…..apparently, they did not belong to me!! Hahaha In any event, the pot was filled….

…..and filled pots lead to…..

,,,,blackberry deliciousness!!

I hope you are able to enjoy something sweet, yet tart on this late summer day. Thank you for visiting the blackberry bush today!! I hope you have a most mahvalous morning, afternoon, and evening.

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

Blackberries, Blackberry Cobbler, building a new home

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Autumn is Fall-ing

I had help writing this morning…

We’ve been seeing the tell-tale signs of the wilting and turning of leaves…some are starting to drop. The season is beginning, yet summer is giving its best effort to hang on. Yesterday, the last day of summer, Se˜or Verano, decided to flex his muscles for one more day here in the Pacific Northwest. Take a quick look at this comparison to areas that are typically on the hotter side this time of year……

1:40 p.m. PST (time that I looked at it )… 3:40 p.m. EST (actual time of temp.)

……What….doesn’t everyone have Disney World and Disneyland programmed into their phones?? Typically, the Bay Area gets hit with a late Indian Summer in Sept…uhhmmm, hmmmmm. In contrast….

Take a look….this was at 6:00 P.M.

it seems since we moved up to Oregon the sustaining heat followed us….don’t laugh too loudly!!! It’s been a hot, very dry summer. We, on this little farm including our fine feathered friends…

…have had a collective, sigh, as the forecast shows dropping temperatures and RAIN in the forecast. For the flock this means the emergence of bugs, worms, and a bit of fresh, greens growing up out of the dry soil….for the humans it means sweaters, warm coffee, an eventual lift in the burn restrictions equaling in the ability to mow down those darn weeds, and the chance to build outdoor / indoor fires…yes, we are ready!!

While we wait, there are tomatoes to harvest, watermelon and pumpkin yet to ripen, a new hen house to build (that’s a different story), and hopefully one more blackberry harvest. I do hope the watermelon ripens!!

Thank you for visiting the farm today!

Your friend from Oregon,
Tami

Category:

Autumn, Buff Orphington / Rhode Island Red Mix, Chickens, Dogs and Chickens, Free Ranging Chickens, Grape Tomatoes, Great Dane, Home Grown Tomato, Homesteading, moving to Oregon, Penni the Great Dane, San Francisco Bay Area, Summer, Watermelon, Wild Blackberries

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Oh, Did I Tell You…

It seems like forever since I have sat down to write. It is that time of year. Mid-August usually demands a certain amount of sweat-equity…not only from the summer heat,

Oregon’s best kept secret….

but also from the demands of the oh-so-soft-spoken ripening garden. It has been dry, really dry.

The ground is so dry.

Everything, is feeling thirsty from the lack of those wet, drippy things that fall from the sky. It takes a bit of an extra effort to keep the flock in fresh water (they get overheated very easily), to maximize the benefit of the water given to the garden, to water young fruit, nut, and Sequoia trees one by one by the bucketful, while keeping a balance with the water level in our holding tank. That tank holds water from our well…which in turn, waters this family.

“Yeah, I’m guarding the water!”

In spite of water rationing for the garden, there is plentiful ripening. Harvesting of more than just a couple of tomatoes here…a pepper there…has begun! We are starting to enjoy the “fruits of our labor”, especially in the berry department. Wild blackberries are ripening at break-neck speed, and my little strawberries are right behind them. When you pick them at that juicy, sweet ripened stage from the vine, they don’t last long. The upshot of that is turning this…..

….into this!!!

Making jam…

Strawberry jam

And this….

Bucketful of Blackberries

…into this…

Blackberry Cobbler!!!

Oh boy!!!

A little time consuming, but totally worth it!!

Oh, did I tell you….

The newest addition.

….welcome to the farm little Roni Jr. ….. hatched on my daughter’s half-birthday. Out of six eggs, this is the only one that hatched. After several days, Mama Hen abandoned the nest, and the eggs went bad. The baby is out and about free ranging with the rest of the flock, watching every move Mama makes.

Thank you for sharing the long days of summer on the farm with me!! Hope you are having a wonderful August!

Your friend,
Tami

Category:

Blackberries, Blackberry Cobbler, Buff Orphington / Rhode Island Red Mix, Chicken Eggs, Chickens, Free Ranging Chickens, Harvesting, Hatching Chicks, Homesteading, moving to Oregon, Oregon, Rhode Island Reds, Strawberry, Strawberry Jam, Wild Blackberries

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A Study in Purple

Do you like the color purple?? According to http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/personality-color-purple.html , “Having either purple or violet as your favorite color means you are sensitive and compassionate, understanding and supportive, thinking of others before yourself – you are the person others come to for help – being needed motivates you but sometimes people take advantage of you.

You are a gentle and free spirit. Your feelings run deep and you can be quite sensitive to hurtful comments from others, although you would never show it…you have a peaceful and tranquil quality…You are usually introverted rather than extroverted and may give the impression of being shy although this is not the case.”

We’ve had a lot of purple on the farm lately, mostly propagated by those things that I spend hours mowing down. They are spiky, intrusive, and relentless in their pursuit to dwell on this land. However, there is beauty, if just for a moment….

The purple dot in the middle of this abundant weed tells me this is probably the versatile Queens Ann’s Lace….

See the purple dot?

…as opposed to this, very similar looking weed, which is highly toxic (hemlock??) The lack of that purple dot is a HUGE red flag!!

Poison Hemlock?? No purple dot!!

This purple bed (and the two furry babies next to it) are missing the furry guy who used to lay upon it. (See https://haveadanehill.com/2014/07/29/morning-has-broken/ )

RIP Tucker…we miss you.

The purple flowers of wild blackberry bushes…

…bring a bowl full of deliciousness!!

First wild blackberry harvest of 2014

The beautiful sunset on a night full of thunder and lightning. Gorgeous!

A beautiful sunset!

Purple is a beautiful color…don’t you think?!!! Do you see purple in your area of the world?

Thanks for sharing my morning…I hope yours is fantastic!! Tami

Category:

Blackberries, Harvesting, Hiking in Oregon, Homesteading, moving to Oregon, Oregon, Pond, Purple, Summer, Sunset, Thunder Storms, Wild Blackberries

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Blackberries + Sugar = Jam!!!

I’m almost embarrassed to admit how excited I get over those little, basic, skills that people have been doing as part of normal, everyday life for countless centuries. Being a newbie at all things even remotely related to homesteading, (with the exception of growing small planter gardens) taking my blackberries and turning them into something I can spread on toast (preferably San Francisco Sourdough!!!) makes me so happy!! I feel like an out-of-the-ordinary homesteading geek…..meaning if other homesteaders (I totally do not even feel that I am qualified to fit into that category) read this blog, they would probably think I’m a geek-homesteading-wanna-be! This is all such a huge experiment for me…I feel like a kid in a candy shop!!

Last summer was the first time I attempted to make blackberry jam. Looking online, I found that you can make jam with our without pectin. Pectin?? What the heck is Pectin?? So I chose not to use that unfamiliar product, and go with what I knew….berries and sugar. I found a recipe at http://savorysweetlife.com/2009/08/how-to-make-blackberry-or-raspberry-jam/ that allowed me to do just that.

Basically, its 1 cup of sugar, to 1 cup of berries and 2 tbsp. lemon juice. That’s it! Simple and to the point. I like fruit products that are a little more tart than sweet, so I reduced the sugar amount to about 3/4 of a cup (or a little less, but more than a 1/2) for each cup of berries. I also prefer seedless jam, so I blended just the berries, then smashed the liquid through a strainer leaving the seeds behind. The result was a very smooth, tart, yet sweet, delicious blackberry jam. Without Pectin, it doesn’t last as long in the fridge…but in my home, it gets eaten up pretty quickly. So here is the process…(most of these pictures were taken from last year’s jam production.)

The stars of the show….Wild Blackberries!

The Ninja blended berries!

Blended blackberries getting ready to separate the fruit from the seed.

The pulp and seeds left from working the blackberry juices through the strainer.

Now combined, sugar and blackberry juices boil for 5 minutes.

The boiled jam now simmers for 15 more minutes.

[

Had a bit of a spill over here…sticky mess!

And all of a sudden…it’s blackberry jam time!!!

Uhhmmm…YUMMMM!!! Blackberry jam on sourdough toast!!!

Category:

Blackberries, building a new home, Great Dane, Harvesting, Homesteading, moving to Oregon, Oregon, Penni the Great Dane, Wild Blackberries

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The Gift of the Vine – Oregon’s Wild Jewels

Who’s picking those berries??

Ever wonder where that purple mustache came from on your German Wirehaired Pointer’s mouth? Every wonder why your Great Dane runs an 1/8th of a mile down your driveway and stands staring at the bush growing by the pond? Ever wonder why you buy this product in the store when home-grown is soooo much better?? Wonder what I’m talking about???

WILD BLACKBERRIES!!!!!!

The start of our Wild Blackberry season!!

While the neighboring honey bees were hard at work pollenating our wild blackberry bushes, my angst about very little bees in my garden grew. However, this year’s crop of blackberries is tremendous, even with the lack of water we’ve had this summer. No doubt their roots are tapping into the year round pond in our front pasture, and although the fruit is smaller, it is abundantly positioned on the vines and packed with berry yumminess!! We have so many yet to ripen….

Waiting on the precious jewels of Oregon.

Wild Blackberries still to ripen

This is why my dogs stare at the bush growing by the pond, and come back with purple moustaches…

The last couple of years, I’ve learned a few things about picking these gorgeous, yummy, jewels of Oregon. It is best to go berry picking in the evening as the sun is setting, or in the morning just as the sun is starting to rise. If you don’t, you’re going to be contending with honey bees, bumble bees, and wasps…none of which I want buzzing around my hands, arms, or face. Be prepared to pick more than you need, because half of what you pick won’t make it to the bucket…your mouth (or your dog’s) may exhibit a purple hew after picking. Wear long sleeves, as those thorns really do not want to give up the treasures within their vines. I’ve yet to find gloves that can really work for picking berries. Any suggestions?? Finally, make sure you remember what you were wearing when it comes time to do your laundry…you’ll want to pretreat those blackberry spots left on your clothes…or you can always tie dye if you forget. 🙂