Off to the Timber the Berries are Ready

The Wild Raspberries  and Gooseberries are ready. This week I am working to gather what I can before the weather heats up again later today, thru the weekend.

Our lack of rain and the heat could take away the ability of the small unripe berries to mature...

Faithful Accomplice

Sadie and I were out early this morning, minding our own picking, when we heard an unfamiliar animal sound emanating just to the east of our patch. My first reaction was, "Oh, that's nice." Apparently, I wasn't hearing things, because Sadie, sat at attention listening attentively.

A repeat of the first agitated whatever it was brought  a couple of barks out of Sadie to let the animal(s) know, it had company of a different species  in the vicinity.

That must have done the trick  - no other vocalizations or activities were heard, and a slight disappointment arose when I didn't get to see what it was that had garnered those few fleeting seconds of the unknown...

It's time to be off to the timber!

See you later.

Berry Picking Season Approaches

The Wild Raspberries are coloring up and should be ready for picking this week.  They are about a week behind in their maturing this year according to my recent past experiences.

I really like being out in the timber gathering both Wild Raspberries and Gooseberries in the company of all the other timber residents.The birds singing, deer and squirrels scampering, a refreshing solitude while I am out and about on my own.

Ever wonder what the the difference between Wild Raspberries vs Wild Blackberries happen to be?

I found a video done by Wild Edibles at Youtube, video quality is a little jumpy at times, but the information puts the fruits and plants side by side to give a greater insight how to identify our seasonal sweets. It isn't uncommon for them to exist in close proximity.

The Mulberries have been falling for about a week now here at Timber Life...

Changing the trail camera location I have found three species of ground bound animals enjoying the delectable treats , not to mention our feathered friends that are counted among the feast attendees.

Some people see the mulberries only as animal food,but if you have ever tasted them at the mature stage, you would find them full of sweet juice. Picking them with uncovered hands leaves a stain that takes a couple days  to wash away. Messy!

Another method for collection to avoid handling the berries is to put a catch cloth under the tree and shake or tap the fruit off like our  friend Casey is doing over at Fungal Threads.


                                                        Trail Camera Pictures

A Doe often seen around the homestead

Double the vision..

Some young Raccoons getting a feel for life in the timber.

Here's wishing you good luck on harvesting some of Nature's sweet treats while they are in season ...

The Wild Berries Ripen

As I was looking through the way some one arrived at my blog over at the BlogLog I saw the query "When do Wild Raspberries ripen in Iowa?" I would like to respond to that question.

It is very likely that there are some Wild Raspberries being picked in the southern tier counties of Iowa as we speak.

Here is what the Wild Raspberries are doing here at Timber Life today. This afternoon you can see a red tinge beginning in the middle of the group.

They are pretty predictable in that they usually begin to ripen by the end of the third week of June. The  middle black cap starts off blushing red. I begin to pick them when they turn black and shiny with juice filled pockets.

I usually eat them plain, as a garnish to several different foods or topped with Reddi-wip. Maybe, this year I will put them in some sort of dessert.


Last summer Wandering Owl Outside gave us an idea how the berries could be made into a tasty treat. Check it out.

Another berry that is making a splash in the timber is the  messy Mulberry. However, when it comes to  right off the tree sweet treats they rank pretty highly.   
The birds seem to have a homing beacon when the berries are at their best.

One of the bad things about the Mulberry is its ability to reproduce prolifically. Guess I will just have to take the good  with the bad.

Gooseberries, the first fruit that I pick of the summer season, can be picked starting the last of May, the first part of June, it is one many find to create a pucker in its early green stage.

If the gooseberry stays on the bush  and gets to the wine colored stage it is very mellow and even  becomes sweet.

Whatever wild fruit that fits your taste bud you should be heading to the woods  soon



So, to answer the question of  "When do Wild Raspberries ripen in Iowa?"
Now is the time to keep an eye on your favorite patches....

Wonderful Wild Raspberries

It is time for all the natural crafters to be out surveying the countryside again!The season is upon us to be gathering another natural resource here in Iowa. Hubby isn't a great fan of these little drupes because of their small size and abundant seeds, but I sure do like them. Keeping things really simple, I put about a cupful in a bowl and eat them with a sprinkling of sugar. I might put a few on top of a pancake, or cereal for breakfast if the urge strikes. There has been some discussion about wild raspberries and blackberries on the 'Net due to the season. I would like to pass along how you can determine the difference between the two. The North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association says when asked - How do you tell the difference between a blackberry and black raspberry? The most obvious difference is that a black raspberry is hollow -- the core of the fruit stays on the plant when it is picked, while the core stays in a blackberry. Black raspberry fruit are also smaller, less shiny. and have a bluish waxy coating between the sections of the berry. I stopped by Wandering Owl Outside and found a recipe to use for our summertime berry pickings. The pictures make a totally scrumptious experience. While joining all the other berry pickers in finding some delectable treats I ran across a nest with 4-little eggs. The wild raspberry brambles make a fantastic fortress, but the mother Robin wasn't anywhere to be seen. A little wren had come to enjoy the space when I went to the house to get the camera . Only to flit away before the camera would focus. The timber is pleasantly filled with a multitude of birds sharing their happy songs as they feast on nature's bounty. A great way to spend time in the great outdoors being serenaded by the little tweeters. Here's wishin' you all the best of a berry....be sure to stop by Wandering Owl Outside for a recipe, so you too can be ready for a tasty treat. ;)

Good Morning World!

Good Morning World! The crisp air at sunrise gave the perfect setting for all the birds to erupt in song. What a perfect greeting for the day to begin! Later in the day hubby took advantage of some smooth air to get off the ground for a short hop around the patch before the sunset. Clouds had moved in to set the stage for future moisture. It has been a wonderful day with forays into the timber to see what flora is erupting with the warmer temperatures. Time lapse photography would have been fun today. The Mayapples are erupting swiftly from the ground. It won't be long until they are blooming,an indicator for us to be looking for the coveted Morel Mushroom. Gooseberry,Wild Raspberry, Honeysuckle and Multi-flora rosebrush are among the plants putting on new leaves preparing for fruiting blooms. The Wild Honeybees have been awake and buzzing for almost three weeks. They would invite themselves into the house when I opened the back door during some of the cold snaps. It didn't take them long to find there wasn't anything they needed andwould head back out the other direction. It wasn't very long ago there were cooler temps. I was wondering if it would ever end. True Spring has arrived at Timber Life and the hope to see new life begins anew. Hope things are improving in your neck of the woods too! ;)

The Hunt is On

Hunt ? What Hunt?!? Well, for the Wild Gooseberry of course! In about three days the Wild Raspberries will begin their period of supplying my demand. The Mulberries are ready too if you enjoy their flavor. The floor of the timber has some pretty dense weeds, invasive honeysuckle, fallen limbs, trees and a myriad of other obstacles to get around. Fun all the same! If you ask me. Getting a little steamy out there! The Deep Woods Off! isn't lasting more than two hours with skin moisture dilution. Mosquitoes just hovering in wait to take advantage once the deet goes away. The berry picking for me means that half of the year is gone and the slide to the end is picking up speed. Other types of hunting getting closer and closer. I have had my trusty boots for 7 years now...gone through lots of stuff. Wear them when I am off to the timber to avoid thorny brush in the feet syndrome and those little squiggly green snakes babies I have seen in the neighborhood as of late...