Ruby stained fingers

This morning we all returned with ruby stained fingers. Driving South from our house, it literally takes 6 minutes or less to be surrounded by cornfields and rolling countryside. It is lovely. We drove the short 10 minutes to pick raspberries this morning.

Now our own raspberries are starting to grow well but it takes about 2-3 years to have them filled with berries. Although, our lawnmower broke about 10 days ago and the back property had not been mowed for about 10 days prior to that - as we walked back there yesterday in the tall grass, near the corner of our property - I noticed a little plant right by the fence that looked awefully similar to a raspberry cane. (mind you this is completely on the opposite side of the yard where we planted our raspberries) Looking closer, sure enough, there were a few tiny green raspberries - must be a fall bearing plant. As I started looking around, the whole area is filled with small raspberry plants! We will be sure to select them out this fall so they grow back thick and strong next year.

Back to this morning - we arrived at the raspberry orchard. They had about 10 very long rows of beautiful raspbery brambles, all tied up in perfect columns. Kade has become very good at selecting ripe raspberries - he carefully studies their color and gives them a gentle tug. If they slide right off the center cone, he knows they are ready. If they give resistance, he leaves them to ripen and if they crumble in his hand, he knows they are past their prime. Avram, on the otherhand, relies on only one sense to detect the ripeness of berries - taste. Berry goes in, if it tastes good, he eats it - if it tastes bad, he spits it out. Repeat. He plodded up and down the rows, bending here and there when a red berry caught his eye. By the end, of course, he was caked in dirt mixed with red raspberry juice and we all came home with ruby stained fingers - and raspberries - Yum!