Berry Reprise

This week the blueberries were in and we were out in the field picking the berries! This is the 3rd year we have gone and Lily was very excited to be with us this year. Last year, Lily was in Arizona having loads of fun with her other grandma and we missed having her helping hands. She has a berry bucket slung over her shoulder but she actually spent most of the time toting her cousin Saranita around. This picture was taken early in our day and her cousin is still content to sit on the blanket and play with toys.

This was the first year for young Dean to be going blueberry picking and he was VERY excited to be going with grandma. Marina and Theodore were with me last year and Marina is the most experienced of the grandchildren. She's been with me all three years. She was a big helper with her younger brothers and also with picking. She carefully explained to Theodore and Dino that they should only pick the dark purple berries. I finally gave up telling them they should ask me BEFORE they pick the berries : )

The real workers were also there!! My dear daughter-in-law Naomi and my sister-in-law Crina both love blueberries and are quick pickers! Naomi was not able to pick as many as last year because last year Saranita was inside her and not prone to wandering off!! We did manage to pick for 2 hours and got about 16 pounds of berries between all of us. We started at 8 a.m. and the sky was very overcast. Another successful weather day for picking. We were also blessed when we picked the strawberries with overcast eyes. The berries were not as plump as I've seen them in the past but I think the last 3 days of significant rain will make our additional picking next week bountiful.

The owner of Boneta Berry Farm always has frozen popsicles available for the young ones when they're done. In addition, I packed juice and crackers which we ate in the shade (the sun did come out)of the back of the van.




Saranita has one question for Marina -- CAN I HAVE SOME????????







We decided to make some blueberry jam much to the delight of my husband. The fruit is supposed to be smashed but we learned that blueberries don't smashed nearly as easily as strawberries! The batch on the right was smashed by hand and looks like blueberries floating in jell. The jar on the left was smashed electrically with my Oscar jr. We haven't done a taste test yet but I'm thinking with the amount of sugar -- both will taste delectable.


Our tower of freezer jam was added to the strawberry jam already in the freezer. We froze enough berries for 3 pies. We also need more berries for blueberry cobbler and blueberry muffins. For lunch the next day, Lily and Marina learned how to make a fruit salad with blueberry, strawberry and banana topped with Cool Whip. They were thrilled to make something from start to finish which included a knife!! We obviously do not have enough berries for all these grand plans so next week we head back out to pick some more. I do not particularly like blueberries but I absolutely love making family memories.



The grand finale -- my kitchen AFTER our blueberry mess. This clean kitchen was brought to me courtesy of Naomi -- what a gem!