It was the last weekend for dewberry gathering...
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| Ripe dewberries |
Look at all those berries just waiting for picking!
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| Dewberry bucket |
This is a 2 gallon bucket, I filled it up once and then this is the second batch. We gave some to 2nd Family and brought the rest home.
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| Wild dewberries |
There are a few red ones left, in a sea of ripe black/purple, so we might be able to squeak in a small batch this weekend. We'll see.
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| Freezing dewberries |
I rinse them in a ceramic colander and then drain them on paper towels to get the water off. Once they are mostly dry, I put them in a single layer on a freezer paper covered sheet pan and freeze for a few hours, usually overnight. Our freezer is small here at the apartment so I do one batch at a time.
Once they are frozen, I just take them off, measure, and seal them in a bag. For now, they are in two large gallon ziplock bags. I am waiting until we're done collecting them so I can divide them up evenly.
I swear, if it's a good season again next year, I'm going to take vacation time off work and just spend the entire day gathering dewberries so we can get as many as possible.
They look delicious. Hope you only got berries and no Chiggers.
ReplyDeleteDo you know, when I was gathering I was thinking of chiggers. We've never KNOCK ON WOOD had them out there at the farm and neither did Ma who lived there for years before. The reason Iw as thinking of them is that I remember once when I was young, my parents stopped at a place on the side of the road to gather wild peaches and she ended up with chiggers all over her lower body. Nasty little things.
DeleteNice bumper crop you have, but need to ask; how many times had you poked your fingers on them thorns?
ReplyDeleteThey look sooooooo delicious.
Need to make some jam using some of them berries. I do keep your recipe in my canning file. :} http://twomenandalittlefarm.blogspot.com/2014/07/easy-dewberry-jam-recipe.html
I actually wear latex gloves (more for the purple staining) and they do a good job of protecting my hands from thorns. Plus I'm pretty good at it if I do say so myself, ha. Trial and error I suppose. Thanks for the link back to our recipe. I might make some, might branch out and try some new things. We're working on some ideas.
DeleteYummy, so lucky for you to have those growing all over your land.
ReplyDeleteWe are blessed that's for sure. We just have to make the "window" every year, ha. Thanks!!
DeleteNow that's a beautiful - and delicious - sight!
ReplyDeleteI bet you know all about them. I suppose they are in your part of the state too right?
DeleteOnce you move to the farm you're going to need a big stand alone freezer!
ReplyDeleteOh my you are SO right. We were already wondering where we could put it. It would probably have to go in the barn (after we have electricity out there of course). Just sort of like keeping it in the garage.
DeleteI've never heard of "dew" berries. They look like our blackberries and oooooh so yummy!! Nice collecting...jam next?
ReplyDeleteHello and thanks for stopping by! Yep, they are related to blackberries, just more of a Southern US variety. The grow a bit different but are very invasive and will just spring up almost anywhere. They are yummy though. A bit "seedier" than blackberries but just as tasty.
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