The slender tree branches, laden with luscious, dark sour cherries, seemed in dire need of relieving their seasonal burden. As always, it’s on a first come first serve basis: us or the birds.
As I walked through my friend’s delightful garden teeming full of berry bushes and fruit trees (each with a long history and proclamation to the land which their roots sink deep into), I couldn’t help but begin to recount all of the times my friends and I would use the garden as our own playground when we were little. We would pluck fruits from the trees in such earnest that our hands would be stained, the lower parts of our shirts became makeshift baskets, our conversations became limited as we kept our mouths full of our succulent findings, and our greediness was shown outright as we left with full bellies and more fruit than we could carry. (more…)
Berry season is nearing its end for the year as the tips of the trees give way to yellow, orange and red hues. Cooler days and the welcome of autumn bring a shift in the kitchen from light fare to more hearty and warm dishes. With more than my fair share of wild berries resting on my countertop, my thoughts are immediately filled with dreams of baked goods and their aroma sifting from the kitchen. Berries paired with dough. Their sweetness nestled in a blanket of creamy cheese surrounded by a hazelnut crust and drizzled with local honey. Just large enough to be handheld, cut into little servings and shared among friends.
Nearby an old rock wall, sturdy but aged and covered with greenery, lies a handful of rhubarb plants. I like to imagine these were purposefully planted so many years ago on our farm when the original house stood on the very hill which those old stones continue to hold up. A house garden, perhaps, providing the old house with a wonderful supply of this springtime favorite. I discovered them intermixed with an overgrowth of nettles and ferns last year when we first moved to the farm. And while preparing the area this spring, I discovered the rhubarb plants were many and even found a couple of berry bushes nestled in front of the stones as well.
