It's Blueberry time!

It's time to pick the blueberries.  The heat of this past week has really brought them on quickly.  Last year's calendar said we picked the first quart on July 13th.  This year I picked the first 3 quarts on July 8th.  Yesterday we picked 7 quarts, and today another 4 quarts.  I gave away the first quarts to neighbors, and then yesterday decided I better get my stand and signs out.  Neighbors watch for my simple sign at the corner, and all we've picked quickly left the stand.  It's been so hot this week that I picked right after my early morning walk (about 8 am).  My husband helped me pick this weekend; I always appreciate that.  It's easy to pick blueberries - no prickers and no bending - but it's time consuming and sometimes the bugs get after me.  It's often either very hot(during the day) or very wet (in the early morning).

Right now, at the start of the season, some of the berries I pick still have a rosy glow and are not fully dark blue.  That's ok; they finish ripening off the vine, just like most fruits.  Leave them on the counter over night and they will be fully ripe and dark blue in color by morning.  Put them in a brown paper bag and they will finish ripening even faster.

I had about 8 quarts of berries in my freezer left from last year's crop, so I decided to make jam.  I made 2 batches and put them out with the fresh berries.  Time will tell if anyone is interested.  Blueberry jam is good; I always give it away at Christmas time.  One of my friends calls it "summer in a jar"!

Now that berry season is here gardening chores will definitely increase.  We sell our berries off a little red cart on the front walkway.  The "honor system" has worked well for us over the years. People take what they want and leave money in a jar. It's hard to stay up with the berry demand, but it sure is fun to find money "magically" appear in the jar.