Raspberry Time

We have a small red raspberry patch, although it is larger than the five canes I originally installed and has moved beyond the original intended borders demarcated by plastic edging that is now buried within the patch. Much of July is given over to picking the red raspberries.

Past years we tended to pick twice a day, but this year we are mainly picking once a day. We started picking in early July, but our harvest was rather small. Peak picking was this past Saturday when we picked near three quarts, and both Sunday and Monday we picked two quarts of berries. Many are frozen, some go in smoothies, cereal, and some go in the mouth either directly or on a graham cracker slathered with peanut butter and piled with raspberries. One time the a few berries fell of the peanut butter butter and berry graham cracker onto our sofa cushion, which my effort at cleaning made it worse, but which my wife kindly rectified the next morning. I was face timing with our oldest grandchild the other day and as I watched him on the screen I ate berries we had just picked.  

Baby birds in raspberry brambles

Picking berries can be hazardous--weeds, mosquitoes, and even the canes themselves. I was reaching the other day to get some berries and a cane caught my eyeglasses. With a handfuls of berries ready to drop into the container I could not adjust my glasses, so when I backed up, the glasses were pulled off. I can barely see without my glasses. Hence, I had to show Land Girl where they pulled off, as my search yielded no results, because I cannot see much with my glasses off unless a few inches in front of my eyes. I knew not to move my feet less I step on them. I did take a step back thinking that may be safe, and luckily it was. The wife located the glasses and directed me where to reach. When we camp, I usually wear a glass strap all day, and perhaps I need to start wearing one in the berry patch. I did lose a pair of glasses several years ago when tubing, and the glass strap. I now know the glass strap will not fully protect my glasses from falling off, much less sinking in the water. What is needed is a glass strap that will reliably stay on the glasses and float. They make some that float, but I am not sure if it is reliable.

This year I had a unique situation in the berry patch. A couple feet off the ground on our first day of picking as I was moving branches to reach berries and I came across a nest with two baby birds, mouths wide open, but no sound. I moved around and continued to pick. The next day I found one baby had fallen out so I used a trowel to pick it up. It was more difficult to find that baby than my glasses. Unfortunately, later that day or the next both babies fell out and while I located one, it appeared dead. I think they were cardinals. Highly unfortunate, but I hope the mother learned her lesson to build a nest higher up. Berry plants, at least raspberry plants, are not the most stable, particularly when they get jostled in order to pick the berries. Although, they are strong enough to pull off a pair of glasses. 

Usually in March Land Girl and I cut out the old canes and trim the new canes to about 5 feet. Raspberries grow on second year canes and those canes die at the end of the season. New canes, which in March are about to begin their second year of growth will produce the berries. Pruning in March means we are pruning before the growth starts for the season.

I had never come across a bird nest in the berry patch before, but have found rabbit warrens in the spring mulch around plants, particularly in the rose bed. The patch is invaded by weeds and volunteer trees. The most prevalent plant is a groundcover and the state's wildflower--the violet. Raspberry time means picking the berries, which is the most time consuming aspect of the patch, but outweighed by the delicious nature of the berries.