Well I am back at the U-pick adventures. We had a very long wet spring that continued into early summer. Many places locally didn’t have cherries and the strawberries were gone very fast. We did manage to get some strawberries in the freezer that we picked and I purchased 10 lbs of frozen berries from a local farm. We moved to a new home in December and we have been busy settling in and getting the garden in and fruit bushes and trees planted. Been harvesting our own raspberries and blueberries! Very nice. Today I pulled all the wild amaranth from the veggie beds and blanched and froze it. Very good tasting green similar to Chard. I have an excellent greens tart recipe that I will post in a bit. Hope everyone is well. Look back for more posts as I gear up for the season.
Take Care
Daniel
July 14, 2010
Late return to Blog and U-pick.
August 20, 2009
West Eugene Wetlands on way to GreenHillAire Blueberry Farm
I rode my bike out to Green Hill Aire Blueberry farm via the West Eugene Wetlands on the Fern Ridge Bike Path. We are very lucky to have a wonderful network of bike paths here in Eugene and this one is a personal favorite. The wetlands are very deceptive in that they seem still and empty. In reality, they are teeming with life, even in the dry heat of the summer.
Just past the entry sign, in the middle of Amazon Creek which flows through the wetland, I spotted these turtles sunbathing. They are just one of many kinds of animals one can find at the wetland: herons; geese; ducks; snakes; nutria; beaver; otters…the list is endless.
The trail continues along the creek for a while before heading into the camas covered savanna comprising most of the wetland. At this time of year the fields are bone dry but bursting with various flowering herbaceous plants. The hues were muted pinks, purples, yellows, green, white and strong browns. Very pleasing.
There was a strong smell of wild mint mixed with other dry grass scents in the air as I biked through.
I parked my trusty rig at an overlook and investigated a mint field. Up close the fragrance was intense! Buzzing with honey bees and other hungry bugs, the field was alive with sights, smells and sounds. A perfect example of the wealth of the West Eugene Wetlands. After enjoying the mint for a bit, I jumped back on my bike and headed over to Green Hill Aire Blueberry Farm which was just down the road toward Fern Ridge Reservoir.
