harvesting

Late summer is the time for picking blackberries and raiding the woods for goodies.
This year was no exception though with the constant heavy rains we’ve been having it was hard to time our picking.
We live in a world of plenty and if I wanted to I could buy all the blackberries and apples and such easily at the supermarket. But they would be grown who knows where and probably full of pesticides (or so I imagine). Hardly anybody here is aware that by just going into the woods there too is a world of plenty. This little orchard is in the middle of the woods, man made, but left to fend for itself. The fruits are there for the animals and for people willing to pick them (I do not by any means approve of trespassing on private property and picking other people’s fruit!)

There is more than enough for every creature.

Blackberries and Boysenberries too grow and thrive in huge rows of bushes everywhere, far off the streets and fumes and pesticides.
They are scratchy of course (the blackberries) and picking them is a little work but it’s fun and rewarding.

We found a dragonfly enjoying them as well 🙂

The elderberries too are ripe at every corner and I plan on making elderberry syrup this year which is supposed to be a good cough medicine!