Blueberries

As I mentioned a few days ago, it is not easy to keep up with this thing all the time.  I want to. I've got two half written entries just hanging in cyber space, waiting to be finished, destined not to be.

But I must tell you about my most excellent day.

My friend Cindy went blueberry picking years ago and brought me her excess.  I've been planning on going since then, but it has not worked out until this year.  Cindy had a day off work, so we planned a blueberry day.  We asked lots of peeps but in the end it was me and Cindy and Heather and Nancy.  Heather drove us in her big ass pick up truck; we headed out a little after 9.

Cindy had  done the research and found us a place to pick.  $3 a lb, or $15 for a 6-7 lb bucket.   We headed out with a big bucket tied around our necks and commenced to blueberry picking.  The owner said to eat what we wanted.  What didn't get picked would go to waste.  The price had dropped so low because the berries in Florida came in late due to the cold winter weather.  The blueberries in GA and NC were ready and they couldn't sell theirs for a profit.  Believe me, we ate like black bears while we were picking.

We pick for an hour or so.  Cindy gets two buckets, the rest of us get one and 1/3.  That was the fun part.  But once you pick them, you have to do something with them.

After a few stops along the way, we end up back at my house around 1 o'clock, famished.  Cindy headed home, and Nancy brought out the goodies she had brought.  An excellent gouda cheese, some roasted veggies, a veggie pate, and some crackers.  I dragged out the chicken salad I had made from the chicken left over from the night before, and I opened the nice bottle of Zin that Nancy had brought.  We feasted while we worked. 

Heather had to head home, but Nancy and I nibbled and sipped and rinsed all of the berries.  Somewhere between 15-18 pounds or berries.  That's a lot of berries.  And we made two batches of preserves.  One a blueberry marmalade and one straight blueberry.  Ended up with nine 12 ounce jars filled with sweet gooey goodness.

It was a great day.  It was a great way to spend a day.

Jen