Wild blueberris have a lot more flavor than demestic stuf....most of the deomestic is flavorless....too bad tundra blueberries aren't the same size as the others.

huh... who woulda thunk it.

Perrydog,

We've been hitting this patch the last couple of days that has blue berries rivaling domestic ones in size. I'm not sure what it is about this particular location but the berries are huge, and in dense clusters of about twenty. It's almost like picking grapes. The bushes are fairly high but so loaded with berries they're laying on the ground. I've actually been thinking that if we pick any more I'm going to have to find someone looking to trade out some fish in exchange. Maybe Hup has got a sweet tooth!

I have been lazy the last few years and made due with what is behind the house.....some years it was good for several gallons. This year i have struggled to get a quart. I really don't like berry picking, but will if they are plentiful enough to get a fair amount in a short period of time. There are a lot better things to be doing in August!

That's right P-dog. Hopefully those silvers come in hard, strong and soon!

Still slow over here...even the fall Chums are pretty much a no show so far...late like everything I guess...

My trapping old partner and his wife used to pick lots of blueberries and huckleberries(gallons). What he did was make a board not unlike a small ping pong paddle, then put nails through it so they stuck out about 1 inch on the other side. He now had a nail rake. They would just put a large pan under the branches and rake the berries into it. Of course they got leaves and twigs with it. Next they put a wool blanket on a sloped plank with sides on it. Dump the berries on that and they roll to the bottom leaving the debris on the blanket. Then you just wash them and nice clean berries ready for pies or jam.

Interesting method Ron. They make berry 'scoops' that are similiar to what you described but I've thought that all the extra debris didn't make them worth it. With the cleaning method you described I can see new possibilities.

Getting out with the kids and picking berries is a family activity that we all enjoy and the labors are really appreciated in the middle of winter. Low bush cranberries are next on the list but it'll be a week or two before they're fully ripe. I can already taste the cranberry sauce and fruit leather!

TA,

that could be a good swap....I make a bunch of BB jam each yr...
and picking these tiny things can get to be laborious and the wifes back hurts, and I have to listen to her complain while I 'watch" for bears...

When I took a break a few weeks ago and went into town, The icecream shop was paying $5/gallon in Fairbanks. I think you got ripped of CB

best way I've found to clean berries is in the boat. Just have one person drive and the other person pour the berries from one bucket to another. The leaves blow away and the berries fall into the bucket. Takes a bit of experimenting to get the right speed.

We do this in the drivway when there is a good stiff wind blowing, saves gas, you just stand in the bow of the skiff and pour into a bucket below.
We also have a box similar to a dry dirt siffter one might use for trappign with 1/4 inch screen on the bottom shake it around the leaves and sticks float to the top and the small stuff falls out the bottom pick the stuff on top out and do it again not the fastest method but does a fairly good job and once you get the hang of it you can clean 5 gals in less than an hour

Is the sky clear for the expected light show tonight in the Mid to Northern parts of Alaska ?

It is someplace. Remember our sky is 20% of the united states. We have more weather systems than NY has welfare recipients.

ROTFLMAO

Yes, I know . That is one of the great things about Alaska,


White17, Is it just a New York thing, or has it become increasingly difficult to get good , quailified contractors to do Home Improvement work ? I have run into a bit of difficulty with one .

It can be an iffy thing everywhere but I suspect that with the economic downturn many people are trying to cut corners to make an extra buck. Contractors don't have the best reputation as a group. Do you have a written agreement ?

white17 :

No written agreement. I got out of the work with the 1st one & I got someone else to do the work. It is a long story with the 1st one. If you would like to know what happened , I can PM you the whole whopper of a story !! Hope you are sitting when you read it !!

Suppose ya all dont want any of this......

bowhead (Muktuk), I like maktak is there much difference in taste?