Christie C. “Watching something grow is good for morale. It helps us believe in life” —
Myron Kaufmann
Here’s the Slice of Life for the week!
Blackberries Growing Locally
Who knew it would take so long for blackberries to ripen! It takes forty-five to sixty days! I walk by this plant every few days, and I just bet I’m going to lose the berries to the squirrels and birds the moment they turn purple.
It’s been fun foraging in the urban areas and nearby forests, but it’s also a bit challenging. It’s not as though the places near me are abundant in the good stuff like blackberries, mulberries, and milkweeds. Most of the edibles are bitter leafy greens (the healthier things), which is nice, but unexciting.
Nonetheless, every time I take a walk in my neighborhood, I take a food container with me in hopes to find some ripe blackberries. Since they’ll all ripen at different times, my plan is to harvest a little as I go, then freeze my findings. When foraging or harvesting berries in small quantities, freezing harvests as you go is the best way to collect your goods. This way, you can build on an inventory and save enough for an actual meal.
What do I want to make with the berries once they’re ready? I was thinking about a blackberry pie, but then I thought a blackberry cobbler with my salted maple ice cream would be better. I really love the cobblers made with a cake crust as opposed to the traditional biscuit crust.
Slow Garden Comings
After starting my garden over in the middle of the season (due to being sick), I’m relieved to see some humble harvests. My herbs (lemon thyme, marjoram, spearmint, and lavender), are doing just fine. The real excitement is in the new stuff!
The pinkeye purple hull peas are just beautiful! And, they taste even better. The little peas have this sweet earthy flavor combined with a crunchy texture. I don’t have enough for a nice meal, so I’m harvesting and freezing the peas as they come. It’s been a really hot summer, so the stress of the heat has made harvests slow. Fortunately, it has cooled down this week, so the plants have begun to flower again.
The next item I’m excited for is my Greek Mountain Tea Mint, also known as ironwort. This smells heavenly—like green tea with a little anise and sweet spearmint. I’m waiting for the flowers to bloom, since that’s when it’s typically time to harvest. I could make tea out of the leaves alone, but I’m going to be patient so I can get the full effect. You’re supposed to brew the flowers as well.
Almost There
As for the rest of the garden, I have more pinkeye purple hull peas, some dragon tongue beans, and a butterfly pea plant. The raised garden bed isn’t in direct sunlight all of the time, so this has really helped to keep the beans and peas cool. They look so much healthier than the last harvest.
The butterfly pea plant is also doing better ever since I moved it into the shade. I think the heat has stressed it out, so it hasn’t produced any flowers yet. I can’t wait until it does!
This is the first year that I haven’t grown basil, which feels a little strange. However, the foods I’ve made this summer haven’t really required it. I’ve cooked mostly rice and beans, polenta, eggs, cedar tea, and chicken sandwiches and salads with more Indigenous American flavor profiles (berries, sumac, maple, cedar, and smoked just to name a few). We also ate a ton of salmon. It’s crude, but my Sesame Encrusted Salmon Poke Bowl with homemade Teriyaki Sauce has been a healthy favorite. Breakfast has been simple with oatmeal cooked with a little salt and a splash of maple syrup. I’ll be sharing some more recipes soon.
