Old hat, zone 4, cold climate garden blog.

A week ago we had the opportunity to pick blueberries at Farnham Farms in Sandy Creek NY. We stumbled on the place by accident while picking up gift boxes for our wedding favors. We went on a weekday evening and there was a steady stream of customers picking. Wire baskets are provided for pricking and each basket holds about 9 or 10 pounds of berries.

2 types of blueberries were offered. A smaller sweeter and a large berry with a big blueberry flavor. The small bushes were brimming with ripe berries, so many that they could be picked with both hands. The larger berries were less plentiful but by no means skimpy. It was easy to pick a basked full from just a few bushes.

We transferred the berries to peck sized splint baskets to take home. The baskets were so full that we broke them into 2 baskets so the berries would not crush under their own weight.

We brought the berries home and sorted out all the bad berries, stems, insects and other debris and froze them on cookie sheets covered with waxed paper. When they are frozen solid we put them in plastic bags for future use.

They can be thawed for pies, jam, fruit salads and muffins.
Now we have a stock of blueberries and strawberries to use until they come into season next year.

The annual plants are done and we have just a few perennials left. We have had little time to work on garden projects between life happening and other exciting events.

Tonight we are putting up pickles, both bread and butter and dill. We grow 2 types of cukes for out pickles. Eureka for the bread and butter and regal for the dills. The eureka get fat and meaty for perfect bread and butter pickles while the regal stay smaller and tight for dills. It’s a bit of work but worth it for great pickles. By the looks of the vines we will probably do 2 or maybe even 3 more batches this season.

The summer squash is coming in great and the peppers are doing well also. We got the tomatoes in late but they are starting with some really nice sun sugar cherry tomatoes. In all we grew 7 types of cherry tomatoes including red, yellow, orange, white, black and others. The brandywine tomatoes are big but still green.

The peppers are getting big but the walls are still a bit thin. We fried some but for good eating they need to have thicker walls. Hopefully they will beef up in the next week or so.