Blueberry Hill Thrills!!!

There are still things that I've not experienced in life.  Simple things that are wonderful!  In Alaska we had wild blueberries and across the bay in Seldovia they were plentiful but NOTHING like what I saw today!  These bushes were cultivated and so full and gorgeous that the berries looked like clusters of grapes!!  I buy from friends or the store so have never sought them out elsewhere until today!

I was at Gretchen's house.   She is my neighbor.  On her fridge she had a postcard telling that blueberries were ready to be picked.  My Granddaughters had been wanting to pick them so I was happy to see the note!  Gretchen copied it for me and we headed out to Wapato.

Now we have a new tradition added to our other simple pleasures...Blueberry picking!!
Huge organic blueberries!  $1.50 per pound.  The gracious hostess/owner told us that store bought blueberries are anywhere from 2-3 weeks old and these will last longer and freeze great!

All of us were fascinated with the beauty of the bushes and the size of the berries!  They give you as many buckets as you want, show you which row to start picking and away you go!!  You could just hold a cluster in your hand, give a little tug, and they would just fall off into your bucket!  We picked 4 buckets in nothing flat!!

I have a new jam recipe that we will try.  It doesn't have very much sugar, compared to some recipes, so we should get a real pure blueberry taste.  It sounds wonderful!!

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Secretly Simple Blueberry Jam

(juicy homemade preserves that can be made

without canning equipment?  spread the word!)

5 cups Blueberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

~In a medium saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice,

and salt.  mash with a potato masher or wooden spoon until the berries

have released their juices.

~Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture

has thickened, 18-25 minutes.  Transfer to containers and refrigerate for

up to 1 month or freeze for up to 1 year.

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Blueberry Hill Berries

1520 West Wapato

Wapato, WA 98951

509-961-3001