July 11-12

Past-E-Mail: Cam Notes - 2012: July: July 11-12
Wintergreen berries    ...scroll down to share comments
Photos by Brenda Leigh
Blueberries    ...scroll down to share comments
Photos by Brenda Leigh
Thimbleberries    ...scroll down to share comments
Photos by Brenda Leigh
Wild strawberries    ...scroll down to share comments
Photos by Brenda Leigh
Ready for jam    ...scroll down to share comments
Photos by Brenda Leigh


By
Mary Drew at Pasty Central (Mdrew) on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - 07:50 am:

Brenda Leigh has been a busy lady, hunting down the elusive wild berries of the U.P. and it looks like she's found herself a variety.

Her first photo is a Wintergreen berry, which Brenda said is just about done now, but she picked enough to make some delicious jam.

The blueberries aren't quite ripe yet, just a few here and there, but Brenda says by the looks of the bushes she's seen, it's going to be a banner year for them. The day she took this photo, she only picked a few, just enough to add to their morning pancakes.

When Brenda spotted these thimbleberry plants and blossoms, she was quite excited, as she said she's never before seen them growing on the eastern end of the U.P., near the Soo. She figures maybe a bird carried the seeds with them, as they flew from the Keweenaw. But however they made their way to that part of the Upper Peninsula, Brenda is elated they're there and is keeping the location of her "secret garden" to herself.

The last berry here today, is the wild strawberry. Very small and very tasty, especially in the homemade jam that Brenda made from them. The bowl full of berries represents a good portion of time bent over picking, but the effort is well worth it when you taste the sweet goodness of these little wild berries.

From the local buzz around town, I hear that this is going to be a good year for the berry pickers and that they seem to be all ahead of time for when they're going to be ripened for picking. So if you're thinking about getting some, better start checking your patches early!


By Deb S. (Usedtobeayooper) on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - 08:02 am:

Some of those look good enough to eat. Mmmm, hmmm!!!


By Janie T. (Bobbysgirl) on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - 08:08 am:

Eating healthy isn't so bad......give me the blueberries please!


By Kathyrn Laughlin (Kathyl) on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - 08:42 am:

Hi
Years ago, we went for a very long walk down the coast of Lake Huron on a trail that went in and out of the woods, and gradully went up on a bluff. We came out on a broad sunny, grassy area that was covered with wild strawberries. They were sweet and sun-warmed and I've never had berries so tasty again.


By Donna (Donna) on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - 08:47 am:

I'll take the wild strawberries! WOWOWOWOWOW!!!! Way to go Brenda! And I've never heard of wintergreen jam....wow...I bet that's good stuff...


By Just me (Jaby) on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - 09:33 am:

I love to walk and eat the wild berries as i go! Delicious! However- I am not familiar with the Wintergreen berries.Great pics!


By Diana P. (Diana) on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - 09:35 am:

Lovely photos! Looking forward to picking wild blueberries in the UP in a couple of weeks. We like blueberry pie, and blueberries over ice cream! :-)


By Alex "UP-Goldwinger" (Alex) on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - 10:44 am:

Looks like Brenda is ready to pull an MC5 and kick out the jams, brothers and sisters.


By Kathyrn Laughlin (Kathyl) on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - 12:26 pm:

Jaby, wintergreen berries have a unique flavor; if you've had wintergreen-flavored gum or mints, that pretty much it. They are more to refresh your mouth than they are a sweet treat.


By Thomas Baird (Thomas) on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - 03:11 pm:

I have a berry good time looking at these photos. Thanks 4 sharing.


By Deb S. (Usedtobeayooper) on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - 05:58 pm:

One of us will for sure be doing a lot of picking when we're UP next month. My cousin has a cabin down on the lake from Freda. Hopefully he's there so we can go pickin'!!


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