Wild Raspberry Picking

Saturday we suited up for our first foray into the bushes and brambles in search of wild black raspberries. We were not disappointed. We gathered about a gallon in an hour or so before the kids were too tired to continue. We left about half of the trail and berries untouched until next time.

My plan, in my head and heart, is to create a u-pick berry farm in the coming years consisting of at least black raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Many years ago my father attempted growing some hybrid black raspberries. They did well for a year or two before succumbing to root-rot. 

My plan as of today is to propagate and grow about an acre of black raspberries using the wild variety. While this does have its shortcomings, mostly size, it does offer some advantages including a natural resistance to disease, abundance of berry patches already existing on the farm for cuttings, and knowledge that the soil is right for berry growth if the current raspberry and blackberry patches are any indication.

Stay tuned as this plan hatches. In the meantime we'll post here the progress, problems, and "fruits" of our labor. We may even have a few berries to spare for our faithful blog followers!

Washed raspberries ready to eat and to flavor some raspberry gelato!

One of our dedicated pickers. He dove right in and picked like a machine...only eating a few along the way.

Delicious raspberries pre-wash.

The picking crew braving the thorns, dogging the bugs, and beating the birds to the berries.

A grand view of our home from the high hill above. The path also doubles as a sledding trail in winter.

It's looking like a great year for elderberries too!

A short pause to take in the view while picking.

 

Spring has sprung!

Spring has sprung around Amazing Grasses and not a moment too soon.  The chickens have been needing more and more fresh grass and only now has Mother Nature provided enough to keep up with these hungry ladies.

They've been in the hoop-house since late fall and I think they'll be glad to get back on to pasture.  Plenty of fresh water, sunshine, and available greens, worms, and bugs make the hens happy and our customers happier!

If you look closely at the pictures above you may notice that some of our hens sport stylish red anklets.  These plastic bands tell us that the hens wearing them are nearing two-years-old and theoretically their laying will begin to slow.  We haven't seen it yet but it will happen.  When it does, we'll sell these hens to folks who just want to have chickens or a few eggs now and then.

This morning the boys moved the eggmobile within the confines of the electric poultry netting and began preparing it for the season.

The eggmobile is a mobile chicken coop that allows us to move our hens to fresh grass every 7-10 days.  This is good for the hens since they get a fresh area to pick, find bugs, and play.  It is good for the ground since it won't be picked bare and won't be overloaded with nitrogen from their manure.

Over the next day or so they will allow the hens to get accustomed to the eggmobile again.  Once they are roosting in there rather than the hoop-house, we'll move them out into the lush green field and they'll forget all about that plastic winter home.

Hoop-house B.C. (Before Chickens)

Once the chickens are out of the hoop-house, we'll start seed beds in there for the summer garden.  The hoop-house and the area to the left of it in the picture will all be garden filled with tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and more.

Hershey at 6 months.

Hershey is now 6 months old and Josie is still giving about 2 gallons a day for our family.  The cream has really started to increase as she has access to more and more fresh grass.  Hopefully we can get back to making our own butter once again!

That's all for now, enjoy the weather and stay tuned to more great stuff from Amazing Grasses including some Pastured Pigs this year!

Winner-Winner Chicken Dinner

Actually the chicken dinner was a previous post but Amazing Grasses is a winner again.  This time one of our shots will be in the 2017 Hocking Hills Calendar.  Here are all the 2017 winners (we are in September).  Here's the winning photo...