I got out first thing this morning to pick strawberries. Got another 19 pounds and 4 ounces. Came in and sorted through them, filled 8 pints to take to one place in town and 12 pints for another.
Got this bowl of rejects to keep for us for fresh eating. Although they don't look too bad, these are the ones with a soft spot in them or a bite taken out by those blankety-blank slugs. Surprisingly, we still aren't tired of eating the berries fresh nor have they had a bad effect on our . . . uh, um, uh . . . digestive systems.Is this unbelievable or what: The picking today brings our season total to 137 pounds and 5 ounces. (Are you tired of me talking about strawberries yet?)
Then this afternoon I worked doing some weeding in the raspberries (yes, there are already a few ripe ones out there, too) and also got about half the weeding I wanted to do done in the blueberries.
In late afternoon, we made the spur of the moment decision to drop everything, clean up quickly and drive 25 miles through the woods to a scenic, rustic restaurant on an inland lake. They have a fantastic all-you-can-eat fish fry on Friday nights and we hadn't been there in ever-so-long. Besides inside seating, they have a long covered porch on the lakeside with casual picnic tables set on the lawn between restaurant and lake. Tonight they had a very aromatic wood fire going in a pit in the middle of the picnic table grouping and live music on one end of the porch. It was all super-casual and contributed to a feeling of real summer time.
A good, good day.
8 comments:
Mama Pea, I think you've just captured summer in a day! And, other than strawberry envy, we can never be tired of hearing about them!
What a great day! And congrats on all the strawberries :) They are on my list of "must plant" when we get our own place...love them!
Have a blessed weekend:)
I miss "Friday Night Fish Fry"!! Yet another Minnesota classic... Sounds like a great day, those strawberries look delicious! I can't believe how much you are getting from that patch!
Susan - The best thing (well, one of the best things) about yesterday was that it cooled off delightfully last night and we got the best sleep we've had in weeks!
Stephanie - Strawberries grow so well up here that I've always wondered why more people don't have a patch. There are a couple of pick-your-own places about an hour or so away up in Canada that many locals go to though.
Erin - Friday Night Fish Fry was big in Illinois where I grew up, too. We went to Elmer's Dog House which was a family owned and run bar where they added a few tables and started serving fish on Friday nights. It was so successful (because it was soooo good!) they had to expand the dining area!
Yum-Yum Strawberrys! We have only one farm in the county that grows the berries. Needless to say we are very limited to fresh berries.
Yum-Yum Strawberrys! We have only one farm in the county that grows the berries. Needless to say we are very limited to fresh berries.
I'd make strawberry juice with the not-perfect ones: just cut off the bad bits and throw them in the blender with water and sugar to taste. YUM! Strawberry juice is wonderful when accompanied by mango nectar - a sweet and thick drink that is smoothie like and could serve as dessert on a hot summer day.
As for why more people don't have a strawberry patch, maybe they just don't want to work as hard as you have been keeping up with them!
Cindy - Have you tried to grow strawberries yourself?
Jen - Strawberry juice! Now why didn't I think of that? (I know, that's what I pay you the big bucks for.) You've got my taste buds tingling. I just may have to try that before the season is over!
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