Why I love Oregon

Today I was feeling a little blue and out of sorts. So I figured out childcare for the little ones and headed out to one of my favorite U-pick farms - Olson's. For 90 minutes I furiously picked and picked every fruit available. I picked in silence, I prayed a little, I listened to some podcasts and rounded out the time with a book on tape called The Dirty Life (note: you can get so much done when you are not sheparding littleones at the farm).

I visited a gorgeous cherry tree grove with perfectly ripe Rainier and Bing cherries (8 lbs). Then off to the blueberry field overlooking the rural Salem countyside (5 lbs). Quick stop at the strawberry patch (it was the last berry picking of the season, but manohman are those berries ripe and sweeeeet) (2 lbs). Last stop at the thornless raspberry bushes and HUGE Katota blackberry bushes. (2 lbs).
When I loaded up all my picks at the pay stand, the grand total was $15.35!  How can you beat that? Answer: you can't. Almost all my blues were melted away as I headed back for home. Best $16 I've spent in while! Tomorrow I have an entire day planned with baking, canning, pie making, flash freezing-home making heaven :-)

Shelling peas

This is the first year I've grown shelling peas. Warning: they grow TALL! Luckily we built a trellis "bridge" between two of our planter raised beds. The variety I grew was called 'Tall telephone' and it is gladly putting out bowls and bowls of peas (small bowls, but bowls nonetheless). The highlight of most of our mornings this past week have been picking, shelling, and eating fresh peas. Love!

July Garden post in the works!

As the summer days are in full swing around here, what with four young children at home ALL DAY LONG, as my garden provides an opportunity for part-time employment, as I make daily running and exercising a priority, and my camera keeps breaking - I wonder if keeping this blog up is important or not.

I've decided that it is important enough to highlight things that are important to me and thus I'm working on my July garden post. Please stay tuned.