Not to complain, but I am going to complain!!! I just went through every single fabulous picture that has been sent to pasty cam since it began, and there is not one single picture of a thimbleberry or blossom thereof. Don't know if they are not important any more, but we "grey hairs" remember the anticipation of the ripening of the thimbleberries and stumbling around in bushes that were over our heads while we either picked behind our parents, or made a few dollars picking them for one dollar a quart for our neighbors. Is this one interesting? Calumet Waterworks area.

You got a dollar??? I only got 50 cents!

Nancy, can I put my order in for about 4 quarts? At a buck apiece? Please??? ;)

DMac: Sure--if you have a time machine to warp us back to 1956!

Just a real great picture, Nancy! I just got back from the UP to 110 degree heat index in OK. 4th of July A.M. in Covington was 32 degrees! The Finnish Music Festival was alot of fun, trout fishing in Lower dam Lake and the Sturgeon, seeing the sights of the UP including seeing Isle Royale from Brockway Mt., eating as much pasty and Vollwerth's as I could made for a fantastic vacation. (Shoulda took a pic of the wild strawberries but too busy eating them.) The Chassel berries were gorgeous. Lake trout dinner at Eagle River.....anybody green with envy yet?

i would pay $5.oo a quart but now i have them growing in my back yard.evidently the birds started that as this area was not noted for thimbleberrys until the last few years..i still have some in my freezer from last year and we are going to make jam tomorrow.the best berry jam ever..

Yes, Marie. I am green with envy! And Nancy, I don't think I ever remember seeing the blossoms. We lived in Detroit, and only got to the UP when the thimbleberries were ready to pick. Of course that wasn't bad either! Thanks for the gorgeous picture.

hello from sunny Seattle,

I remember picking thimbleberries years ago with

my husband,my sister-in-law would make jam for us,

she said you did'nt have to add that pectin to it

because it produced it's own?? It was the best

jam ever!! kjr

Nancy,

There is at least one thimbleberry shot in the archive, but it's easy to miss, as it's grouped in with a number of pictures taken on Isle Royale. I'm slowly going thru the archive, and happened to notice it a few days ago.

Go to http://www.pasty.com/cam/2000/extra082000.html and scroll down about halfway, you'll see a nice shot of a ripe berry.

How are the thimbleberries doing this year? I've been told that in recent years they have been attacked by some kind of insect or disease, but don't know the details. Supposedly this is why the jam is so expensive these days (limited supply of berries), but I don't know whether or not that's true.

Nancy,
Great picture. Early mornings in the Summer my brother and I would walk to the corner lot on Douglas St. in Houghton near our home with little tin cups to pick the daily supply of thimleberries. Our Mother keep us suppled with T.B.jam! If anyone is interested I purchased a great picture (a photo) of T.B. at a shop in South Range called Etc. Etc. and owned by my friend Karen. Photo is one of many great ones taken by Joe Kirkish. Photo has 3 big fat ripe berries and one still to ripen. I really enjoy it.

MMMMM,
My mouth is already watering!

When I was a kid living in Hubbell and Tamarack we'd pick thimbleberries up the hill on those old railroad grades. There was LOTS of berries up there. Mom would make jam for us or we'd just eat them. Mmmm! Now I get mine from the Jam Lady
in Calumet. Good stuff, Maynard!! ('Member that one?)

I'm looking for a old Thimbleberries book, "Blue Skies", does anyone have one that would sell?
kjboardman@aol.com

What is a thimbleberry anyway? Any relation to a bumbleberry?