Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Berry berry good

At last, all the blueberries have been harvested! What a contrast to last year's crop.

I can't complain about last year, though. Really, it was the bushes' first time putting out flowers and fruit, and it always takes blueberries a bit of time to rev up production.

But this year – wow. Just wow.

Now that the harvest is finished, I had a chance to weigh what we got (basically, four gallons).

On the left is the little quart bag with last year's harvest, dwarfed by this year's crop.

Last year: one pound.

After weighing and tallying each bag of this year's crop...

...the total came to sixteen pounds! Literally sixteen times what we got last year!

Of course, next I did what any passionate canner would do: I canned them up, combining both last year's and this year's berries.

I washed jars and made a thin syrup.

Mid-production.

Final tally: Fifteen quarts.

I anticipate lots of blueberry pies this winter. Berry berry good.

7 comments:

  1. Mine did nothing! Maybe next year. Those will be good this winter.

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    Replies
    1. We both shoo in Tuscaloosa so I think we both experienced the fruit of that hard freeze. No blueberries here either.

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  2. Might want to look up "Blueberry Pie Bars" recipe for fresh blueberries delicious and easy single serving hand pies!

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  3. Patrice, did you let them thaw first or just pop them into the jars and let them set while you made the syrup?
    I have some that are frozen and worried they will come out a bit tough? How did your do?

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    Replies
    1. While they **can** be canned while frozen, it's better to let them sit and defrost first.

      - Patrice

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    2. My bushes didnt put out much this year. I looked at Azure Standard, 12pt's of fresh blue berries - $50. Maybe the bushes will do better next year

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