Summer Bounty

First wild blackberries of the summer!

There are many things to love about living in Oregon in the summer, especially in or near rural Oregon, but the wild blackberries may well top my list. When I first moved to Corvallis 20 years ago I accidentally found wonderful places to pick them -- just piles and piles of vines, open to the public. And I picked plenty.

These big babies are at the end of the road, a whole block away where there is a big farm with young sweet corn growing. The berries are along the road that goes around the farm. I walked down there with the dog a couple of days ago, to check them out, found that they were just starting to ripen, with the vines along one part just loaded. Picked a few, ate them as fast as I could pick them.

This morning, I walked down there again prepared. No dog (picking is serious business and the dog doesn't understand), and a big plastic colander to hold the bounty. Actually, I was surprised that nobody else seems to have been there before me. But -- first come, first served. They've been there a couple of days, at least. These should satisfy me for awhile, and there are plenty left that should be ripe in the next day or so. And lots more left to ripen before summer is over.

So, these babies -- some of them, anyway -- will become cobbler later this afternoon, just in time for dessert after pizza. It's best served warm, after all.