Guest guest Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 Organic wild blueberries in my neck of the woods go for $4 a pint minimum. My friend Wayne just picked me up a 20-pound box of blueberries at this place either in Northwester MA or southern NH, for $33. That's less than 83 cents a pint! And, if you want to pick them yourself, they're even cheaper, but you get these scoop things that makes the picking super-efficient so you are supposedly basically in and out of there in no time. If anyone in the area is interested, let me know, and I'll ask him the place, phone number, directions, etc. My first quart of pureed blueberries is kefiring as we speak... Chris In a message dated 8/19/03 3:08:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time, heidis@... writes: > Since this group is into natural foods, I thought I'd point out > that in the Pacific Northwest, this is the top of the berry season, > and with all this heat it is a bumper crop. We can't harvest as > fast as they grow! > > I juiced some, and added kefir grains, and they are WONDERFUL > slightly fermented, though the rest of the family is eating them > fresh-juiced. Mine I fermented then put in EZCap bottles in the fridge > for " beer replacement " in the evening. > > I don't know about the rest of the US, but there are free, organic, > berries out there for the picking in most of this neck of the woods ... > Stock up your freezers ... > " To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. " --Theodore Roosevelt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 00:14:52 -0700 Heidi Schuppenhauer <heidis@...> wrote: > > > Since this group is into natural foods, I thought I'd point out > that in the Pacific Northwest, this is the top of the berry season, > and with all this heat it is a bumper crop. We can't harvest as > fast as they grow! > > I juiced some, and added kefir grains, and they are WONDERFUL > slightly fermented, though the rest of the family is eating them > fresh-juiced. Mine I fermented then put in EZCap bottles in the fridge > for " beer replacement " in the evening. > > I don't know about the rest of the US, but there are free, organic, > berries out there for the picking in most of this neck of the woods ... > Stock up your freezers ... > > -- Heidi > > " Humans live on one-quarter of what they eat; on the other three-quarters lives their doctor. " --Egyptian pyramid inscription, 3800 B.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2003 Report Share Posted August 19, 2003 On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 00:14:52 -0700 Heidi Schuppenhauer <heidis@...> wrote: > > I juiced some, and added kefir grains, and they are WONDERFUL > slightly fermented, though the rest of the family is eating them > fresh-juiced. Mine I fermented then put in EZCap bottles in the fridge > for " beer replacement " in the evening. Heidi, How much alcohol is produced, if any, in your kefir beer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 >How much alcohol is produced, if any, in your kefir beer? > > Depends how much sugar there is. I'd guess between half and three percent. -- Heidi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 >Organic wild blueberries in my neck of the woods go for $4 a pint minimum. >My friend Wayne just picked me up a 20-pound box of blueberries at this place >either in Northwester MA or southern NH, for $33. That's less than 83 cents a >pint! And, if you want to pick them yourself, they're even cheaper, but you >get these scoop things that makes the picking super-efficient so you are >supposedly basically in and out of there in no time. ?? Scoop things? That sounds interesting! " Organic berries " just seems insane ... I mean that they are so expensive. We grow lots of berries, and never have sprayed them with anything or paid any attention to them at all (except to weed them a little). The wild blackberries I've been pruning, but basically they grow in spite of anything (they are probably considered a noxious weed!). Yet I hear the farmed ones are heavily sprayed. -- Heidi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 In a message dated 8/20/03 2:40:37 AM Eastern Daylight Time, heidis@... writes: > ?? Scoop things? That sounds interesting! No kidding. I haven't been to the place, so I haven't seen them. I try to picture them but always fail :-P > " Organic berries " just seems insane ... I mean that they are so expensive. Except at this place when you buy a 20-lb box. Usually around here they are $4-something a pint, though I did *once* this summer pay $4-something for six ounces, swearing in my mind never to do it again. Er... wait a second. Pint? Six ounces? Maybe they're usually $4-something a CUP??? We grow lots > of berries, and never have sprayed them with anything or paid any attention > to > them at all (except to weed them a little). The wild blackberries I've been > pruning, > but basically they grow in spite of anything (they are probably considered a > noxious > weed!). Yet I hear the farmed ones are heavily sprayed. I think they are, not positiive, but I know strawberries are one of the worst crops for spraying. I've picked actual wild berries before and I must say it was hard, in that it took us a long time to get a small amount. Your region might be more hospitable to it. Of course if I had my own house I'd plant a blueberry bush :-) Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 >I've picked actual wild berries before and I must say it was hard, in that it >took us a long time to get a small amount. Your region might be more >hospitable to it. Of course if I had my own house I'd plant a blueberry bush :-) > >Chris Might be the kind of berries. We have some truly wild berries -- huckleberries -- and those are ridiculously hard to pick. But the blackberries in my yard aren't really " wild " in the " native " sense -- the ones in the Northwest are mainly Himalayas, which are a hybrid demon plant created in the early 1900's that are a cross between the nasty briars in Sleeping Beauty and Kudzu. The only nice thing about them is that they have delicious berries in great quantities -- I picked 2 gallons last evening in about 45 minutes. Normally if they are sprayed, it is with Agent Orange in a futile attempt to control them (they are the reason I got goats). For *wild* blueberries though, one enterprising guy rents a bus and carts old folks from a home into some alpine meadows and has them pick berries for the day -- they like the outing and some extra money -- and makes jam from it. Really, really good jam! -- Heidi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 Heidi, i'm in the NW. I would like to know where i can pick my own organic berries -- have kept my eyes open but not seen anything. I'd like to get a lot to freeze for winter but they are SOOOOOO expensive. Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 The Amazing Little BerriesBy Frederic PatenaudeIt's time for berries! Let's rediscover those little wonders of nature, which are jam-packed with more nutrients than most cultivated fruits. Wild berries are even more nutritious and you can get them for free.High in Antioxidants and NutrientsAntioxidants are compounds that protect against cell damage inflicted by molecules called oxygen-free radicals, which are a major cause of disease and aging. It's been found that most berries rank higher in antioxidant activities when compared to other cultivated fruits and vegetables. The USDA Human Nutrition Center ranked blueberries the #1 most antioxidant rich berry. Strawberries came second on the list. The antioxidants are usually found in the pigment that give berries their color. They help protect us from cancer naturally.Berries also contain a higher amount of phytochemicals than most other fruits. Phytochemicals are components of plants that have been shown to help prevent certain diseases, or at least influence our health in a positive sense.Berries are generally high in vitamin C. For example, a cup of strawberries contains as much vitamin C as a cup of orange juice. Without having to go through the list, let's just remember that berries, especially wild ones, contain plenty of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other phytochemicals, more than most cultivated fruits.The Fun is the VarietyThe best thing about berries is that there are so many of them. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, but also blackberries, black raspberries, gooseberries... the list is endless. All types of berries have their particularities and health benefits, and we all have our favorites!Mine are black raspberries, raspberries and blackberries. Each year it seems I discover a new type of berry that I've never seen before... and it's always an enjoyable experience.Unfortunately...The bad news is that most commercially grown berries are heavily sprayed with pesticides. The ones that are notoriously bad in that regard are strawberries and raspberries. As mentioned in a previous article, those two berries are in the top-12 most contaminated produce sold in North America.For that reason, it would be wise to seek organically-grown berries, or even better, wild ones.Where to Find Wild BerriesWild berries are all around us. Honestly, it would be hard to imagine someone living farther than 5 or 6 miles away from a bush of wild berries. Each year, I've always made a point of seeking the wild berries in my area and I've always found some. Sometimes the supply was scanty, yes, but no matter where I lived I've always been surrounded by berries.When I went to Oregon a few years ago, I discovered the magic of blackberries of the Northwest. It appears that the woods in that area are jam-packed with big, sweet, round blackberries during the summer. I remember picking and eating so many of them that I eventually thought to myself: there's got to be a way to feed the whole state with what's found in the woods!The problem is that most people don't even see wild berries, or look for them, and when they do, they don't eat them! A few days ago my friend and I went to a national park nearby where I live. Suddenly, we found an endless supply of wild blueberries. As we started picking them almost greedily, many people went by and saw us picking berries. "Oh look honey, there are blueberries there", they were saying, and then just passed by us without even trying them! A few people tried some, but found them to be too small to be worth the hassle. I couldn't believe it! What can you expect when most people think "food" needs to be wrapped and sold in a supermarket.?So before you turn into an insensitive city-dweller who never gets to actually pick the food he eats, reform yourself starting today. Go out to pick some wild berries. They're easy to find in the outskirts of woods and around trails. If you live in a city, you might want to check out along railways (if there are any), or do the right thing, which is to leave the smog for a day and come back with buckets of the stuff.A hassle-free alternative would be to go to an organic farm and ask them if you can pick them yourself. Usually, they offer that option and charge a lot less for it. When I do this, I generally spend hours picking and come back with so many berries I don't know what to do with. I like that feeling...Some Ideas on What to Do With BerriesBerries make a great entree to a dinner salad, and actually combine very well with a salad, since they do not contain as much sugar as other fruits. You can also make nice salad dressings with berries. A non-fat dressing recipe to try is blending raspberries and celery stalks together.The result is surprising!Smoothies made with berries are hard to beat. One that I really like is blending 2 thirds mango with 1 third raspberries. For example, 2 cups of mango flesh with 1 cup of raspberries. You can try variations of this with other berries and fruits. The possibilities are endless and the results are predictably outstanding.Here's a nice berry recipe from my book, Instant Raw Sensations:-----------------------------Summer Berry Soup-----------------------------Makes 4 servings1 liter (1000 ml.) freshly-squeezed orange juice2 cups fresh raspberries1 cup fresh blackberries1 cup fresh blueberries or strawberriesInstructions:Mix all ingredients together and let sit for sometime to let the flavors mix.Notes:This is a great soup to enjoy as often as possible during the berry season. I serve it as an entree before the dinner meal.-----------------------------Freezing Berries-----------------------------If you've got too many berries at the height of the season, or would like to enjoy those wild berries at other times of the year, you can certainly freeze them. Although I don't recommend the consumption of cold, frozen fruits on a regular basis, those thawed berries still contain most of the nutritional benefits of fresh berries and this might be a great option to add variety during the winter. What I want to avoid, however, is the consumption of cold frozen berries (or other fruits), as this negatively impacts the health of our intestinal flora. So when you want to eat your frozen berries, always thaw them beforehand. They make nice additions to smoothies and fruit salads during the winter.In conclusion: eat more berries. Suzi What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. health/ http://suziesgoats.wholefoodfarmacy.com/ http://360./suziesgoats Never miss an email again! Toolbar alerts you the instant new Mail arrives. Check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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