• Thursday-What'sUP November 19 - 04:40 pm

Brenda Leigh was on the shores of Lake Superior, just west of Whitefish Point picking cranberries to freeze and make some delicacies with. That's her in the first photo, snapped by her hubby Jim Solko and since they are there on the shore, I'm assuming they appear there as wild berries, rather than planted and cultivated for consumption.

Speaking of eating them... I have personally tasted Brenda's cranberry-pumpkin muffins and can vouch for them as being some of the best tasting bakery I've tasted. But for these berries, Brenda had other plans. She said she made some cranberry relish with honey and dried ginger. It sounds quite yummy.

Picking the cranberries this year was enjoyable according to Brenda, as it has been warmer and there were no bugs. She said usually each year they pick them after a heavy frost, which helps ripen them, but then it is so cold her fingers freeze. We sure have had some beautiful fall days lately, but wintry temperatures are returning any day now.

When I saw 'Cranberry picking' I knew it had to be Brenda. No moss grows under that gal's feet, she's always canning, freezing, cooking something. God bless her and her ingenuity!

It is strange that with all the commercial berries available we tend to forget that these berries do grow wild in some areas and are free from the normal chemical additions of man on a farm. I for one can be included in this lapse in thinking.
We have an area in WV that is called Cranberry Glades or something like that anyway. I have not been there but the though of fresh wild fruit has sparked a longing for a trip to that part of the state.
My usual trips are more likely to be sparked by an interesting mineral or fossil find but wild berries are a close second. This can be attested to by the store of wine and jellies made from local black and blueberries as well as autumn olives in the basement.

James, it sounds like you are right up there with Brenda in making good use of nature's bounty! I wish i was more like both of you!

I will be in a cranberry coma come Thanksgiving Day!

I will be joining Janie T. I not only will have
home made cranberries, but have added cranbery
wine.

Way to go, Brenda! Though I don't like pumpkin,
ginger, or most any spice, I'm betting there are
many people who would love to try your recipes
here. I always wished I liked that stuff, but my
favorite spices are salt & cinnamon :-)

The pictures sure make the cranberries look yummy. I have never developed a taste for cranberry sauce. I do think that cranberry juice though is very good and I'm sure that Brenda's cranberry bakery would be very tasty.

Deb S Cranberry wine? Never had it. Would you care to trade for Wild grape?
Jim

AWESOME!!! All of it...AWESOME!!!

I have never picked cranberries. YUM! great pics!

I've had cranberry/apple wine and plain old
cranberry wine. The cranberry wine is sweeter and
oh so good. I thought the apple/cranberry was too
sour. Anyway, nope, at this time I will not trade
you :-)

Wow...thanks for all the comments and especially
to Mary for always wanting to use my photos and
all the neat stories she writes. Deb S. I would be
happy to share any recipe with anyone, just
request and I will send in right out. Going
tomorrow to pick more as that is when one should
be picking when it is nice and cold. The berries
will be almost purple now. I would love to try
cranberry wine. Although I am not good at making
wine. I did try it a time or two. Perhaps I might
have to try to make a cranberry concoction of
wine. I do make lots of juice and add honey and
that is a very very pleasurable drink for me.

I've never picked cranberries though I know my father did as a child.
I don't believe anybody has ever liked to pick berries as much as my
father. Can't wait to eat cranberry sauce next week. It's one of my
favorite dishes at any Thanksgiving dinner. Nice photos and write
up. Thanks to Brenda, Jim and Mary.

Delicious.

There are a few wild cranberries that grow along the Gay/Lac La Belle road.

I picked wild cranberries near Senter when I was a kid. My
mother made a jam from them . Thanks for the pictures for
they bring back memories. The USDA limits production to
certain states --price control if you will.