Another Strawberry Update

We have officially reached the post-harvest period in our strawberry season. Although the fields are now down to the last 20%, there are still opportunities for wonderful results. It's just that one's approach and mindset need to change. The biggest opportunity is to take advantage of the last berries on a plant. They are often no larger than a fingernail, but they possess the strongest flavor of any berry. My recommendation is to turn these into the finest jam know to mankind. Put it into small jars, treat it like caviar or the finest vintage wine. Call it something like Late Harvest Strawberry Jam. Have fun because to pick these berries is a workout.

The secret "Blog" field will continue to give larger berries through the weekend, but the general public will begin to go there as other fields run out of berries.

This is our big Berry Jam celebration weekend. Despite the forecast, I expect weather breaks throughout the weekend. The background music will be great! I especially like the New Iberians on Father's Day. We will have a big tent left over from a wedding, so there will be weather protection. Please put on your boots and join us for this event.

I am still noticing raspberries and blueberries, but haven't opened the u-pick fields on these berries yet. But I am thinking about a preview day late next week exclusively for the blog readers...

See you at the farm.

Weekly Strawberry Update

Over the last three days, I estimate that 9,300 pounds of strawberries were picked by u-pickers. That's over 4 1/2 tons! But even with this incredible harvest, at the end of the day Sunday u-pickers were still pulling beautiful flats of berries out of the field. I expect the fields to still be loaded throughout the week, but a gradual trailing off of quantities may begin. With many berries not picked and becoming overripe, the fields will begin to smell like strawberry jam especially when it warms up.

I was pleased this weekend with the number of blog readers who came up to me looking for the special strawberry field. It made me realize that I am being read. After nearly 40 years of writing personal journals, I was the first time that anything that I have written has been read. I have to say it's kind of a personal thrill. But it did also get me wondering where to go with it. Sometimes I want to do simple stuff like publishing my farm to do list once a week. Some might find in interesting, some may find it a complete bore. Perhaps continuing to title the blog entries can help. If a blog says The Farm to do List and you find it's not for you, you can pass it over. Still not sure here and would like some feedback.

At times I want to just report what goes on around the farm without structure. There are so many stories, so many moments.

Weather for the week looks like more of what we have had for the last ten days. Lots of morning clouds. Some breaks of sun. Maybe a little warmer. Maybe some showers mid week and late in the weekend, but nothing serious or organized at this point. Just plain good strawberry weather.

There are few raspberries turning red. Blueberries turning blue, but so far only enough for me and birds to forage. By the weekend it might be better. Let's hope...

June Gloom

Here is a brief excerpt from the National Weather Service technical discussion concerning the long range weather this week.

The general model consensus appears to maintain some weak disturbances over the Pacific Northwest. Given differences in the models, details are not to be trusted. It is difficult to argue with keeping in some low canes of showers for much of the week.

What does this mean? After two weeks of remarkable summer-like conditions, we have moved into a classic Northwest June weather pattern of morning clouds and afternoon clearing with highs around 70 degrees. Sometimes the clouds will not clear off, like last Sunday, creating a condition often referred to as June Gloom. Long range predictions by local weather people showing graphic images of what the day will be are almost useless, as one never knows until that day whether the sun will break through or not. During these periods, we may get beautiful evenings as the gloom finally burns off and the temperatures rise to a perfect 70 degrees. Until I farmed, I would moan about this weather pattern which could often hold until around July 10th, when our summer usually begins. As a farmer of berries, I welcome the June Gloom. The pattern is perfect for slower ripening of all of the berries.

The Strawberry Report
Strawberries continue to be abundant, although my newer fields closer to the store should dramatically improve as slower weekday picking give the fields a chance to ripen. My newest field in the back is producing sensational quality berries, but is not easy to find. Keeping with my policy of self discovery, I make no announcements of where that field is, but if you come to me personally and ask I will let you in on its location. That way, I'll know you're a blog reader and have made it this far in my essay.

Other Berries
There were actually a few ripe blueberries which I ate before the birds. What a surprise! They may be ready along with raspberries before our Berry Jam event on Father's Day weekend.

Projected Berry Dates:
Raspberries: June 17 - August 1
Blueberries: June 17 - August 10
Marionberries: July 1 - August 1
Boysenberries: July 1 - August 1

Our pickling cucumbers will be ready by July 20th.