Blackberries, First Elderberries, and Drought problems.

“Look Daddy! I’m a stwirrel!”

“Tan I help you took?”

When was the last time you had a squirrel cook you potato-water griddle cakes for breakfast?

Tuesday morning we got over to the farm for another picking of blackberries.

The big thornless blackberries are a little the worse for wear at the moment. We are mostly feeding the ruminants hay right now. The cows don’t mind it that much, but the sheep object very strenuously. Cows are primarily grazer who will browse if they have to. Goats are primarily browsers who will graze if they have to. But sheep go both ways. They want to browse and graze, in equal amounts, every day. They also don’t have the same jaw structure as cows, their teeth are smaller and their mouths more delicate. They don’t chomp and munch like a cow, they like to nibble, almost like a big rabbit. So while a cow will chomp through fairly coarse hay if necessary, the sheep are more likely to nibble the leaves off the stems and leave the stems of the hay behind.

To alleviate this, with fresh pasture grass hard to come by right now. We are letting the young lambs have the run of the orchard periodically, alternating with the chicken yard…

And the older sheep get the laneway in the far back.

Both areas have lots of shrubs, vines and brambles, and the sheep like to nibble the leaves off of them. They won’t, of course, eat the actual brambles themselves, but they will strip them of leaves as far as they can reach.

Darla prefers grass. She would like it fresh and green, if you please. This brown stuff is not to standard.

After sorting out the ruminants, we took a turn through the garden. I am almost out of Saueruben, (Winnie likes it, and always asks to share. The other kids don’t care for it) so it is time to make more. So we pulled a rutabaga to take home.

I have to figure out which variety of peas this was. They are doing remarkably well despite the heat, and they have a unique property I haven’t seen in pod peas before. They are the size of a grownup’s pinky finger, and the pod walls are thick, almost 1/8 inch thick, but still juicy (except for the back string). The peas themselves are very large and heavy, but only a very few have started going bitter. Unfortunately, the envelope I stuck on the post to remind me which variety this was, is so bleached by sun and rain that I can’t read the varietal label. I hope I have the receipt somewhere.

First picking of elderberries. We are trying to be a little more patient and discerning this year, only pulling the clusters that are totally ripe with very few red drupes and no green ones. These fully ripe clusters are very easy to strip the berries off of (yes, technically drupes, but that sounds like a Dr. Seuss villain so…).

In about 15 minutes, Evie and I had about an inch in the bottom of that basket, which is plenty for our dehydrator. Dried elderberries keep very well, are easiest to sell, and can be reconstituted later for teas, elixirs or other beverages.

The blackberries went into the steam juicer.

This makes a true juice, not a puree like the squeezo. We made jam with the squeezo puree, but hopefully we can make some jelly with the juice.

The steam juicer is also pretty hands free. Other than periodically emptying the reservoir and making sure the water hasn’t boiled away, it pretty much handles its own business, leaving us free to do other things.

However, it does significantly warm up the kitchen, especially on a 90+ degree afternoon in August.

Meanwhile, Ellie and Winnie loaded elderberries on the dehydrator.

Five trays worth.

Supper was braised lamb breast, a great option for when you are busy. Simply pepper the breast, and heat oil or butter (we used butter and duck fat) in a heavy Dutch oven with a lid. Sear all sides for about 30 seconds per side. Then add whatever liquid and aromatics you want (we used red wine, chicken broth and portabello mushrooms), pop on the lid, and set it in the oven at 275 for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. When you take it out the meat will be falling off the bone, and it will be “effortlessly delicious” to quote Brandon Sheard.

Five pints of blackberry juice.

Into the fridge for now, along with the blackberry vinegar and strained blackberry liqueur. (Apparently I can’t spell).

Risotto is not “fire and forget” like the lamb breast is, but it is so delicious!

Seppi grating the cheese while the blackberry-rhubarb crumble waits for the oven to preheat.

Great Job, team! All in a good day’s work.