The Blueberries are ripe. Well some are, and others are heading that way. I've grown to appreciate the blueberries up here, although I have to admit I mocked them for awhile. After other places I've been, I found them small, and few and far between.
Ah but now, now I know they have a rich tart taste, and while it takes longer, there can be plenty of them out there in the right spots. But more than anything else, I relish the gathering. The gathering of our family, the gathering of friends, and the gathering of the berries. It is a much anticipated activity in our house, twinged with a bittersweetness. For now that berry season is upon us winter, that long winter, can not be too far behind.
Late last week we stopped briefly to check on the berries, and while most were still green there were pockets of berries that had ripened. Checking a few of our favourite spots this weekend we found a profusion of ripened berries. It is a good year, despite the rain and the cooler weather.
Our Blueberries are Vaccinium uliginosum, and have a beautiful blue colour to the berry. This photo shows a fairly typical plant, a low growing shrub with dark shiny leaves that turn a lovely deep red in the fall. I have to admit I've never paid much attention to what the flowers look like, and should rectify that… next year. On one of our recent (daily) forays I found what has to be the most prolific plant in the Arctic, there were forty-five berries on this little plant,
some of which were huge by our standards (the size of a smallish Saskatchewan Blueberry berry.)
Due to our lives getting in the way of living, it is often late by the time we head out. All along the road you can see ATV's and vehicles parked, as more and more people head out to their favourite patches, or search for new ones. People dot the hills.
We've fallen into a predictable pattern. Once there we fan out and everyone picks. I tend to only pick a little bit, pick up the camera and go exploring. Often the kids pick for a little bit, Travis and the others end up looking for small lives. He found a small millipede last night under a rock, something I had no idea existed up here.
Leah and her sisters, and friends usually concentrate at the task at hand, and can pick a remarkable amount, considering the tiny berries and their scattered nature. When the kids tire I head for the truck with them, sip coffee, and wait for the others. The berries are tasty, but is all about the company.
Oh, and you get to see some fantastic scenes. Both small…
And large…
Comments
7 responses
I love wild blueberries. I don’t pick baskets of them, but when I’m in appropriate habitat and see blueberry bushes I always pick and eat a few as I make my way along the trail. It may just be me, but I think they’re a bit sweeter than the cultivated versions.
Your blueberry bushes look a lot shorter than the ones in my area, but I guess that’s an effect of the Arctic.
Kia ora Clare,
What a great walk, and with great rewards as well. The colour of those berries is unlike anything I have seen. Amazing.
Cheers,
Robb
I’m completely jealous of your blueberries! We have a variety here, but they are very small and very difficult to find. Those you’ve photographed look plump and delicious. Autumn IS quickly approaching, isn’t it?
This post is a wonderful window into your world Clare, thanks for sharing.
Blueberries are great John. Ours are not as sweet as those you’d find down in your neck of the woods. Low growth is an adaptation for the Arctic. Most plants stay right a ground level up here, including our “bushes” like Arctic Willow. It keeps them down in the micro climate of the ground and away from the desiccating effects of the wind.
Thanks Robb. The berries darken soon after picking.
Hi Kimberlee. Our plants are probably just as small as yours. Plumpness is probably a result of the close camera shots. And Autumn is already here. Winter is quickly approaching.
Thanks Duncan.
I love your blog. The blueberries were incredible this year in Fairbanks, Alaska…and so are the bog cranberries.
Thank you Melissa. This has been a so-so year for them, but the treasure is in the picking.