THE U-Pick GARDEN will be closing August 20th. This will be the last year the garden will be open to the public. Next year I'll be operating as a CSA, supplying about 20 regular customers with weekly boxes. Thank you for your support over the last 8 years, but it's time to try something new.

To get a copy of my book, "How To Grow Vegetables In Sitka, Alaska" just give me a call....The books are $20 plus tax. If you live out of town and want me to mail you a copy, you can mail a check for $25.60 to:

Lori Adams
P O Box 6021
Sitka, Alaska
99835


Down To Earth U-Pick Garden is located at 2103 Sawmill Creek Road in Sitka, Alaska. It is open usually from mid-June through late August. Hours are Monday-Saturday 12:00 to 6:30. On Farmer's Market Saturdays I am not open until 2:00. Children are welcome but may not run through the garden or chase the ducks. If you have any questions you can contact me, Lori Adams, at 907-747-6108 or 907-738-2241. My email address is downtoearthupick@gmail.com

Monday, July 29, 2013

The Red Green Show

Yesterday I picked Red Huckleberries in our back yard.


I used a "berry-picker", so in addition to the ripe berries the bucket was full of leaves and immature berries......a bucket full of Huckleberries takes hours to clean. When you're washing them in the sink the leaves just suction cup to your hands which makes everything awkward.


 But, a couple of years ago a friend taught me how to clean Huckleberries quickly and easily. Check it out....
You set up a piece of plywood outside at an angle with 2x4's clamped to the side.


Okay...now you can see where the "Red Green Show" reference came from.....and if you still don't get it you can youtube it - and then you'll get it.

How redneck can you get?


Drape a sheet over the trough....



Then smooth out the sheet, soak it with water, and set a tote at the foot of the trough.


Set the bucket of Huckleberries at the top of the trough....


Tip it over....


And let the berries roll down the trough.




The leaves stick to the sheet....


 And the berries roll down the trough and into the tote.


Once in a while it's good to move away the tote and wash the leaves off the trough with the hose.


Once the bucket is empty it's a good idea to run all of the berries down the trough a second time. On the second pass I try to pick out all of the immature berries. It was hard this time because my trough was set up at too steep of an angle which caused the berries to roll down really fast.


BEFORE:


AFTER:


MUCH more manageable!

I mix Red Huckleberries with my Raspberries 50/50 when I make jam.....SO YUMMY!!


And remember, if they don't find you handsome they should at least find you handy! Keep your stick on the ice, I'm rooting for you.

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