Fruits were not
to be had except for wild strawberries which grew in such abundance that they
were gathered for shortcakes. Trips were made out to the old home areas in the
Southwick country for gooseberries and currants which were brought home for
canning. Ethel
Dobson Robinson on early days at Gilbert.
Fruit is very scarce here [this year], no cherries or prunes
to speak of, apples scarce and poor, no currants or gooseberries, and only a
few raspberries. It was too wet and cold this spring. We had a good crop of
strawberries . . . Ina Dobson, July 1933
When Hallie brought Nick into the
family circle, he came with a desire for new / old taste sensations through the
processing of berries, preferably native or near-native – those found
on the land rather than cultivated. He immediately enjoyed the elderberry jelly but was also ready to
move beyond it. So they learned to make rose hip jelly, and back in Seattle
they picked the blackberries so abundant there.
Here at Gilbert, they searched for
more berry options, locating blackberries and black caps, which can be found but don’t seem to
bear prolifically here. I think we all wondered, “What else could there be?
What were the old-time taste treats?”
Well, this year has been a great
berry identification year. Nick and Hallie brought thimbleberry jam made from
berries picked in the Seattle area which we offered at the century farm
celebration to rave reviews. Subsequently we went out to pick them and found thimbleberry bushes in profusion here.
Then I identified the service berry
bushes and made a batch of jelly. We've been eating and sharing it, but one jar is stored for Nick to taste.
In May when Hallie was here, we
visited a dump site on our property, and I noticed a low-growing shrub that
looked like Oregon grape. Hallie took note when I mentioned that the berries of
Oregon grape make good jelly. However, it wasn’t a bush but a kind of ground
cover, and I learned that it’s a variety called “creeping Oregon grape.” 
Indeed, I did find berries on the creeping Oregon grape, and I found stands of it on either side of Dobson Road. However, the plant is invasive, and unfortunately the mother lode of berries sat on
the edge of a field where it was hit by herbicide. Best not to use those
berries. But – I know where and when to look for them now and there will be
other years.
My dad grew Oregon grape (the “real”
bush) beside the steps to his studio at the rear of the Orofino house. Sometimes he made jelly with the berries, but
he also used the leaves in place of holly in his Christmas decorations. In
fact, I didn’t realize the invasiveness of the bush and the stigma against it
until a few years ago when someone suggested eradicating a patch at my
church. It’s definitely not a bush you want to introduce on your farm property.
I don't know what happened to the wild strawberries. Perhaps those plants were eradicated years ago. Or maybe someday I'll stumble upon a patch. KW
3 comments:
We found wild strawberries along the trail on our backpacking trip last year. They were teeny tiny--not even the size of my pinkie nail. BUT they were full of flavor! The blackberries aren't yet ready here but we're talking about what we'll do with them.
You are brave. I only pick in my or my neighbor's yard and only if I know there are no snakes. We used to have friends who would go pick blackberries near Cherry Lane, but they would stand in the back of a pickup to avoid the snakes. I wouldn't even do that. (Do love blackberries, though!)
I really am careful about the snakes. The rattlesnakes, while poisonous, are not extremely aggressive. I stayed on the deer trail. I'm also not going to let the slim chance that a snake is in the vicinity keep me from what I want to do, but sometimes I wonder what my dad would say.
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