What is everyone eating from their orchard today?

:thumbsup: Nice that an early peach got good taste for you! That’s one thing I’ve been worried about with the cool, late spring starts, so Blazingstar was as early as I have right now.

I like smallish peaches myself.

(BTW, like your avatar.)

Holy Smoke! You have a lot of currants!

Wow @Auburn ! You got quite a lot of fruits there! You say they taste sweeter than some… I’m new at thornless blackberries. I planted Triple Crown this year and it fruited. I ate one fruit which was blend and tart, with a quite bitter aftertaste. I was so disapointed. It was black for one day (as soon as it turned black, I ate it, Didn’t want the birds or squirrel to get it first!). The 5 other ones just never turned black and dried/rotted… Not sure. I was hoping for something better than wild ones, which I love, actually. Do you think it might be because the plant was too young, or the berries under ripe? Maybe the plant is sick… the contour of the leaves is much darker, brownish/blackish. The plant looks healthy to me …

Tom, I only have one of each variety. pink champagne is a heavy producer. Still have half more on other side of the fence. Red lake is OK. Black current is another animal, has a lot more disease and pest issues. I will trim them this fall, next year will have more :smile:

My statement is unintentionally misleading. The TC is the sweeter of the three but still a bit sour for most people. Blackberries are supposed to stay on the vine until they get a dull black and then pick. I also pick the ones I have a little early due to a host of bad issues if left until they are sweet. Thanks, Bill

Have you ever seen a chamomile flower rake? I used them to harvest clover seed, they may work. Johnie’s selected seeds carries them I think.

Ugh- I think I botched the black currant jam. I made a very poor decision and tried to make 12 lbs (10 quarts) at once. It fit in the pan…barely. The problem was that I couldn’t properly stir it and the stuff on the bottom burned. Now the jam tastes burned. Sigh.

Wow, that is a lot of currants! Too bad about the jam. Yes best to make small batches.
As it turns out the cuttings you sent, only two survived. All leafed out, but I guess with no roots, and faded. I may need to try a better way. I want to have that many one day!

Jessica give the Triple Crown time. That really is a small plant, so that may have played a role. Leave berries on till dull. I have been finding that 3 or 4 days past black at least. I suppose each cultivar may be different. Right now I have Columbia Star berries that turned black 3 days ago, not ripe yet, still not dull. A lot of sugar can be produced in the last few days.

1 Like

We just finished harvesting the Mesabi tart cherries. Nice size and flavor to them this year. I got the tree free so tickled pink about my extra cherries. The Surecrop cherry is not yet fully ripe. Perhaps
5 more days.

The Jewel raspberries are just starting. We got them netted last night as last year the bird’s took 1/2 our crop in two days. I took a photo this morning but I still have not been able to figure out how to get
a photo to print on this website.

Ouch thats painful Bob. I’ve done that before. When I cook jam I use four pans at once and never more than 1" of liquid.

You sure got a lot of black currants. My bushes are too much in the shade and are declining, which is too bad. I should allocate a better spot for them, they are some of my favorite fruits. This morning I was getting a few of the new D-8 variety, they are a fine currant. Minaj is still my favorite by far.

Finally I get to eat a few Mars grapes.

Pic 2

6 Likes

How does it taste?

Sorry to here that Bob. Jam is a bit of work, especially when you conceder the time spent on growing and picking. I usually have the problem of making it to thin. I think Scott has the right idea with small batches so it can boil easier.

picked last three Nanking cherry, fully riped, tasted like a sweet cherry, but a little soft.


Gooseberry start to turn the color. picked few before the birds. Should I pick goose berry green to make gooseberry jam or pick ripe gooseberry to make jam?

2 Likes

Too bad about the jam Bob, but wow, just beautiful currants. I may bring in black currant to add to the mulberries, give my jams and pie fillings a bit more oomph. (Are they OK in a bit of shade?)

:thumbsup: Perfect grapes Bill. How is the taste, light ones vs. darker ones?

I’m so far behind everyone! All I’ve got right now are masses and masses of blueberries. Which were very good piled up high on waffles today.

1 Like

I’m still picking blacks. I think I’ve got the problem of to many. I only picked half my berries today. My bucket was full and my back was sore. I put in a 60’ row of blacks last fall that I’m not even picking yet. I’m thinking I don’t need them. Anyway, I like the problem of having to many! My reds are coming in now so I have to pick those too. I think I will brew a black raspberry wheat beer.

1 Like

They have a sweet concord taste without any seeds. The lighter ones are a little more tart. They started disappearing so I salvaged what was remaining.

I don’t think I posted my last pickings
.

3 Likes

60’ still unpicked. :flushed: That’s a lotta berries. Beer idea sounds pretty good, JA.