Friday, September 11, 2009

Huckleberry Preserves

It is at least ten degrees cooler in Huckleberry Preserve than it is at our house. We escape to its mossy trails overhung with bays and bordered with swordferns and bracken.

Glimpses of the view across the canyon reveal how different this microclimate pocket is from the surrounding area.

We are here for huckleberries.
The first we find are not yet ripe.
But then we find them.

Ripe, their color is somewhere between Greta's eyes...
...and her boots.
For a while not many make it into our cups.
Greta pouts about not having as many as her sisters. They pour some of theirs into her cup and her smile is this big.

Now she can't see the bottom of her cup.

Back at home the huckleberries are so small some pop right through the masher whole.
Eventually we get them all.
It is our first time making preserves. Our berries yield 1.5 cups of crushed fruit. We need two cups. Evelyn leads me down into the backyard where she has found wild blackberries. We return victorious with just enough blackberries for 1/2 cup, crushed.

One of our jar lids didn't pop. It will have to go in the fridge.

Might as well have some now.

6 comments:

Stefaneener said...

I was just there yesterday! Must pick stems today.

Your pictures are incredible! I love your macro setting. We'll have to go together some day. ..

Susan said...

Oh, yes. Let's. And thank you for revealing your jam secrets to me and giving us the courage to try it ourselves.

Kristin said...

Oh how fun and lovely photos too. Call us next time, and we'll join you.

Glad you're back in town. Please come to park day, or let's get together again. We miss you and your girls.

patricia said...

I love Greta's huckleberry hunting outfit.

Yay for putting your jam class knowledge into action! And the petite little jars are perfect for the preserves of petite little berries.

Karen said...

The jam looks so good! Especially on top of homemade pancakes...
Yum!

sarah in the woods said...

What a beautiful time - and such sweet rewards!