Berry Season Has Arrived!

Growing up with parents who passionately farmed a rather large and complex kitchen garden was lost on me until fairly recently. Where others might have focused on learning about favorable soil conditions or optimal times to plant, all I saw were 50-foot long rows of weeds under 98-degree and 95% humidity Maryland weather. There were a few bright spots, of course. My Mother’s homemade dilled green beans, strawberry jam and blackberry cobblers were family addictions.

Fast forward to the Oregon summer that has finally arrived. The first strawberries of the season have ripened and the thought of picking one’s own stock under a warm and breezy Saturday sun is intoxicating. Rows and rows and rows of berries (weeded by someone else!) await our eager fingers. Sore muscles and aching backs fade before the thought of rows and rows and rows of fresh jam (made by me!).



The odd berry and dirt stain that colors my fingertips will soon fade, but the personal satisfaction of canning 35 pounds of strawberries with my sister and nieces will linger till the last jar is eaten sometime in the dark of winter.