Harvesting is Berry Good, Part 2
Huckleberry/Bogberry: (norsk: blåbær, [blo-bair])
Deep blue/purple, tart and sweet
In part 2 we will focus on the berry that is most collected by the locals in our mountainous region. This little berry resembles what we call in Montana, the huckleberry.
Early August was a blåbær extravaganza and still is if you head higher into the mountains.
We ventured out as a family to a recommended location and ended up gathering 4.7 kilos of blåbær in 1.5 hours! We were off a dirt road and up a steep hill surrounded by bushes of berries dripping in fresh mountain rain.
At the time, and especially now that we’ve been gathering in other areas as well, I was so struck by how untouched these little bushes were. Had anyone stood and gathered where I was stranding? Did the deer or moose even make it up on these high places to appreciate the sweetness of this patch of creation?
The kids and I have been reading the book “Hinds’ Feet on High Places” by Hannah Hurnard per a friend’s recommendation. There was a section of the book in which Much-Afraid is starting her journey for the high places with the Shepherd and she begins to observe a great carpet of flowers spread across the valley.
Once the Shepherd stooped and touched the flowers gently with his fingers, then said to Much-Afraid with a smile, “Humble yourself, and you will find that Love is spreading a carpet of flowers beneath your feet.”
Much-Afraid looked at him earnestly. “I have often wondered about the wild flowers,” she said. “It does seem strange that such unnumbered multitudes should bloom in the wild places of the earth where perhaps nobody every sees them and the goats and the cattle can walk over them and crush them to death. They have so much beauty and sweetness to give and no one on whom to lavish it, nor who will even appreciate it.”
“Nothing my Father and I have made is ever wasted,” he said quietly, “and the little wild flowers have a wonderful lesson to teach. They offer themselves so sweetly and confidently and willingly, even if it seems that there is no one to appreciate them. Just as though they sang a joyous little song to themselves, that is so happy to love, even though one is not loved in return.”
“I must tell you a great truth, Much-Afraid, which only the few understand…Many a quiet, ordinary, and hidden life, unknown to the world, is a veritable garden in which Love’s flowers and fruits have come to such perfection that it is a place of delight where the King of Love himself walks and rejoices with his friends.”
I thought of this passage as I swept over the blåbær bushes with my picker, giving thanks that I get to take-in this beauty and sweetness as a gift. I loved the possibility that this little patch of creation might be grateful to see me too. Perhaps these little blåbær also find delight in revealing themselves to me; one who appreciates their hidden allure and their joyous song of fruitfulness….Maybe they’ve been waiting for our family, all along.
“For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.”
– Romans 8:19-21
With this heavenly harvest, we painstakingly sorted and de-stemmed these small berries and froze several bags to use later, sans a liter for which Karalee made Hare’s Haversack Crumble (a Redwall Cookbook Recipe), for dessert.
In part 3 we will wrap up this topic on berries talking about our experiences with some less known berries (to us), like gooseberry, cloudberry, crowberry and more.
