There is a bumper crop of Chokecherries this year.
These hang right in the driveway and I go around them every time I go in or out. I picked the branch clean of berries and shoved the whole thing back in the woods ...not sure it will stay there. It might have to be tied back.
The berries hang heavily on the trees.
This is what they looked like in bloom in the early part of June.
I picked about 2 1/2 Ice Cream pails full and will steam them today...I have a fancy steamer that separates out the juice...it is a wonderful invention. I will freeze the juice and make jelly next winter.
The seeds are poisonous, so the whole fruit cannot be used. There are many buckets full out there on our property and next door at my brothers. It is hard work picking but I managed. Yesterday I just picked berries in the corner of our driveway.
Far Side
Are hey what we call “Possum” grapes, I wonder?
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of chokecherries. Is it a regional thing?
ReplyDeleteI've never tasted chokecherry jam and wonder if it's tart or sweet. :-)
ReplyDeleteMy grandma used to make choke cherry jelly. That, and Sandy Cherry jelly were her favourites
ReplyDeleteGalla Creek Possum Grapes are Amelopsis cordata, Chokecherries are Prunus Virginiana. Two totally different plants!
ReplyDeleteLatane, Chokecheries are found in the Northern parts of the United States and the Southern part of Canada. They are Native to Minnesota.
I planted one several years ago and it didn't grow. I was going to move it a couple of years ago, but is decided to grow. I didn't know the seeds are poisonous.
ReplyDeleteWe used to pick the berries when I was a kid. I can't recall where exactly we went, but mom had a specific spot. I didn't mind picking them because they grew close together and one could pull them off relatively easily from a standing position. Chokecherry jelly was one of my favorites!
ReplyDeleteI have heard about chokecherries but I don't think I've ever consumed anything made with them, Connie. I'm guessing it would be delicious though. The bounty of the earth...so precious! ~Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteWe had chokecherries down on the farm in southern Iowa. I never knew why they were poison but now you explain the seeds are. You hear things as kids and one doesn't ask questions and I wonder if my parents ever knew why. That will make great jelly. It is a lot of picking.
ReplyDeleteHope all is well with you and yours!
ReplyDeleteA banner year for the berries.
Sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteWe never had chokecherries growing near us, but one of my mom’s friends lived closer to the river and she always made chokecherry jelly and shared with us. So delicious!!
ReplyDeleteYou've sure got it all figured out, how to deal with those chokecherries. And I bet your jelly is delish too!
ReplyDeleteThe wonderful bounty of nature :)
ReplyDeleteJust look at those gorgeous black berries!! My Mom made Chokecherry syrup for pancakes. If I remember correctly it took a lot of sugar.
ReplyDeleteGreat you have enough energy to process the chokecherries and put them in the freezer. I always hated canning and making jam in the summer heat. This seems a much better plan.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you could get out and pick the choke cherries, something of a tradition with you.
ReplyDeletePicking in the driveway must have been considerably easier.
Hi! Until recently I was receiving daily posts via my GMail address but it stopped. I read that Blogger discontinued sending emails. Are you aware of this? I don't "see" a sign up via email on your home page. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteLAS yes blogger stopped sending emails, I use a blog reader called The Old Reader that is free and you can follow up to 100 blogs.
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