Cup 21

Yet another raspberry picture! This morning's harvest amounted to five cups, enough to reach the 21st cup taken from the forest this month.  The 30 cup threshold might be reached this year, the best season for them Hardwood Hermitage has ever seen.

Here's a pic of part of today's crop, getting ready to flash freeze before going into a freezer bag.  The rest of today's berries will go on cereal or ice cream soon.

Blackberries are ripening in limited quantities.  They will be ready in force within about 2 weeks. 

Hill-grown goodness

About 10 cups of raspberries (and a few blackberries) have been harvested from Hardwood Hermitage in the last two weeks.  The redness of the berries has been spectacular! Here's a pic of most of today's relatively small harvest.

For suppah, beef, potatoes, and zucchini from further down the hill added to the culinary satisfaction.

Berries on french toast

The season's first raspberries from the forest were picked this a.m., then placed on french toast (with some store-bought berries) for an early lunch.  Picking is scattered this early, but there will be plenty more in the next few weeks, then blackberries start coming in.

Pole saw magic

The pole saw works magic for forest managers.  The ability to cut branches nearly 20 feet off the ground gives desirable species more sun and larger crown space.  Last week, the loppers and saw on the long pole assisted several oaks.  The one in the foreground was covered by several branches from the nearby red maple.  This pic shows the oak's new situation providing more room.

Even the pole saw needs a break.  This a.m., the wonderful tool is seen in a trail, with a paper birch that just got more sun and room happy to share the area.