The huckleberry bushes are at Grandma and Grandpa's, along with a nice, big lake to cool off in afterward. (A handy bribe to keep in my back pocket for hard work.)
I usually make a gallon of ice cold lemonade and a big bowl of pasta salad and head off, buckets, duct tape, belts and towels in hand.
We pick and we pick until I don't think I can manage to keep the children civil any longer and then we swim. I can pick a gallon bucket in the time it takes the big kids to pick 1/3rd or so- they do plenty of eating. The little children pick for a few minutes- pick berries to eat the rest of the time and then, as is most often the case, fall and spill the berries that they DID put in their buckets at some point of the morning.
Corynn asked the other day why the littles didn't have to pick as many as the biggles (with an inkling of "It's NOT FAIR!") I explained to her that the job of the littles right now is to be content when there is work to be done. 2 and 4 year olds can't possibly pick like 7 and 9 year olds and we shouldn't expect them to. But, in bringing them with us and expecting them to be out in the heat and among the berries for hours at a time (without complaining), they are PRACTICING to be good berry pickers.
SOMEDAY I hope these little hands will be more productive...all of them. But for now, I am glad that they are out there with me- practicing. Plus, it is more fun this way.
11 comments:
What a beautiful day! Looks loke everyone had fun despite the hard work.;).
Christina
Im dying, I LOVE the duct tape! lol Why didn't I think of that. We pick with clam shells and then I end up hauling 5 extra clam shells while the kids run through the patch.
You know what? I have never had a huckleberry in my life!
Cute pictures. We love to do all kinds of picking too. We missed strawberries this year. Such a bummer!
Okay, this last week we also
-picked free berries (35 pounds!)
-went lake swimming (altho', alas, not in a lovely lilypadded one)
-let the Littles eat their hearts out (hullo, Little Sal)
I love that top picture, too. Evocative-- of what, I'm not sure, but it is that, regardless.
Christina-They did-which is good because we are going this week too! wha ha ha
Lindsey- CLAM shells? How does THAT work? Your way sounds pretty elegant!
Miranda- come on over!
Abby- 35 pounds?!?!?! Were they huckleberries or blueberries? And HOW did you manage to get 35 pounds! It was pulling teeth to get 8 pounds over here! And were they free? Give me some bit of information to make me feel less like a loser here. "I will be thankful for my measley 8" Hmm. Now I know how you felt about cherries.
Anonymous- in other words, I can't win.
Oh wait. Yes I can. I can delete your comment because you didn't sign your name. I've warned you about that!
Like the clam shells that berries come in at the store. The local patches will have them. I think its easier to charge for the berries that way. Know how much you have. I would love to pick wild instead. Weve never been able to grow blueberries well. :( Huckleberries would be a treat! But around here you have to know where they grow and nobody shares the knowledge lol too precious I guess.
I grew up picking wild huckleberries, so I know how impressive eight pounds is! It wasn't until the people who allowed us to pick neglected huckleberries on their unused land sold the land to a developer who then MOWED DOWN THE HUCKLEBERRIES when I was in college that I had to move along to paying for berries.
BUT...these were free. John's friend Candy Ben is more kind and thoughtful than he has any right to be, and he invites us to pick at his great-uncle's private patch. It's a HUGE, organic blueberry patch on top of a hill, with mowed rows and berry-laden branches bent under the weight. I am floored each time we go, and express my thanks in lame ways with cards and homemade jam when what I feel is so much larger. It is a huge blessing.
So now you know how we picked 35 pounds in 2 hours. We all picked, and many hands make light work, especially when the berries are bigger than huckleberries.
Each year, I look forward to seeing the children lined up with their duct-taped containers. Makes me smile every time.
Lindsey- I hate to admit it- but I thought you meant ACTUAL clamshells. I was over here scratching my head about how you could possibly get so many berries using shells! (I didn't know they were called that!) sheesh. Blonde moment.
Abigail- That makes me feel SLIGHTLY better. TWO HOURS?!? I won't tell you how many hours I have been out picking...I did find a place that sells blueberries for .80 a pound which I might go to to finish up the 25 pounds. I really wanted to have the same amount as we had last year, because it lasted us through spring. As for your many hands make light work philosophy- I need Millie to come and teach Corynn how to pick like she means it!
You take the best photos Rebecca. Not just in this post, in all of them. You're my role model in that respect.
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