I don't know if huckleberries are as revered in other parts of the country as they are in Idaho. Huckleberries in Idaho are akin to the gold strikes. You just don't share the when, how, or where of finding your claim of huckleberries! Well this year was a huckleberry year like none that I have ever seen!
Since this was Rose's first year of huckleberry picking, we took along the camera. The boy's always enjoy introducing the youngest family member to huckleberries. The babies usually start out in a backpack due to the rough terrain, and the boy's do their best to out do each other in keeping them supplied with a berry.
This year after a few hours of bending over with a backpack on, and the boys not keeping up with her demands for more berries, which was taking a toll on my hearing, I found a semi cleared area and plopped Rose down in front of her own bush. I showed her the berries on the bush and how to pick them. She took right off picking her own berries to her heart’s content. Every now and then we'd hear some chirping from her, when she could not find any more berries, so whoever was closest would pick her up and find another clear patch of ground, a good berry bush and put her down in front of it, and let her go at it again. This kept her occupied for hours. Her patience was amazing.
Scouting for the largest berries. CW and his daddy have a knack for spotting the largest berries. We found several spots where the snow must have lingered a bit longer, and they were pushing dime size if not bigger.
"Hand over the huckleberry and no one gets hurt!"
Awww the life, everything a girl could want, good food, beautiful scenery and a quiet spot to call your own. At least until the berries run out.
Number one rule in picking huckleberries, "Don't encroach on another's patch."
Have you ever played "I spy?" It is most rewarding in regards to huckleberries!
There is nothing so disheartening as to drop a precious morsel after you have worked so hard to acquire it.
"I am my brother’s shadow." She was determined to pick huckleberries this morning with her big brother. Probably has something to do with his totally doting on her and finding her the best berries.
At the end of the day, one very tired little girl and the telltale signs of a huckleberry queen, purple fingers, purple tongue, and dirty, purple face!
It was an awesome huckleberry year! We averaged about five gallons a day! Minus who knows how many that went to their bellies. In all we picked over 20 gallons of berries, We sold a lot and kept a few to make our special Double Huckleberry Ice Cream!