Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Friday, June 27, 2014

Raspberry Picking Time ~ Getting Silly with the Thyme


On Wednesday I noticed a few ripe wild black raspberries.  I picked those, and later checked another location.  It took a while to cut down brush to get to them, but I found many more ripe ones.  It was hot, humid and I was picking them in jeans and muck boots.  I wasn't taking a chance this time on getting poison ivy.


That night I convinced Hubby to follow me back out, and bring the weed wacker.  I cut back the brush with my antique (from my Dad who got them from his Dad) hand sheers, and he took out the rest with the weed wacker.  We ended up bringing in more berries (still not enough for jam).

Thursday donned my picking clothes, and grabbed my grandpa's antique hedging shears once again, and headed out to yet another location.  Once I got the brush down, I picked more berries.  Boy, talk about sweat.  Phew.  

I'm sure we'll be picking all week.  I need more than last year, as I plan to make reduced sugar black raspberry jam this year.  Hubby's last sugar reading was 99.  He's very happy with his progress.  

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In between berry picking, I cut more oregano and thyme for drying.  We had a good time joking around with the thyme.  Hubby pulled in from work and asked, "What are you doing you crazy woman?"

"I'm cuttin' up the Thyme" (laughter)

Inside, I rinsed and patted the Thyme dry, and said, "I just don't know if I have enough Thyme."  (laughter).

"I need more Thyme," I said later. (laughter)

Only in our house can cutting an herb be so funny and entertaining.  Got any Thyme at your house? He he!  I just had to throw that one in.

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I got those 2 dozen eggs boiled, and those will be nice to have on hand.

Survey guy might be here today to put in the last marker.  We had high water, most likely due to the guy up the road tearing up our ditch that empties into the river.  I'll be cutting brush as tall as me today, just so I can photograph and document that last marker.  I'm thinking I'll be wearing muck books, jeans, long sleeves, gloves, a mask, goggles, and a hat.  Just to ward off allergies and what ever else may be lurking in there.

This guy (up the road) has been, what we call, stalking our homestead for 3 days now - driving his 4-wheeler all around the property, on the road, in our yard, stopping and staring at the property makers.  Last night he took out 2 rows of the farmer's corn to drive back in and see the northwest marker.  He left, but came back with fencing and a chain saw.  Again, going through the farmer's corn (3 times).  Too bad I don't know who the farmer is this year.  I'd love to give him a call.  I just hope he drives out soon to check on his crop.  As for the fencing and chainsaw, we have yet to see what he has done.  It's on film, just in case.  I'll be sharing more on this person later.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

You should be able to find out who owns the field with the corn by calling the county recorder's office. (Or whoever takes care of taxes in your county.)

Sam I Am...... said...

I wonder if those berries I saw are red or black raspberries and if so are they ripe? It's been raining here so I haven't been back.
I could use more thyme around here! LOL!
Good luck with your markers and the creepy neighbor.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

The black raspberries turn a deep purple when ripe, almost a black. I picked some not quite dark, but still delicious.

Thanks for the tip on the crop. We know the owner, but it's leased by a farmer.

Susan said...

What a shame about your idiot neighbor. Nothing like having to deal with a nutjob on a daily basis. I'm glad you're getting everything documented. It's always good to have the 'goods' on them, so to speak. I have more thyme in my hands than I know what to do with, LOL!

Unknown said...

I'd call the owner and ask who the renter is...

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

I bet you were a sight dressed in all your NON-Allergy Gear (NAG) hahahaha!
Sorry about the neighbors; that has got to be so unsettling for y'all. It's terrible that they have such a blatant disregard for other peoples property...yours, the corn farmers, the grandmother that owns that land. It disgusts me.
...that' all I've got to say about that, and all the Thyme I have. If I had ANY TIME at all...I would not waste it. :D
Pat

Kelly said...

You are lucky! The critters in my woods are hungry and ate every last berry. Next year I might put a net on the patch we found.
Ugh your neighbor is a creep! Do you think he will move the markers? Taking pictures is smart just in case he does.
I wish I had more "thyme", lol!!!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Kelly, that is why we are photographing everything. You can bet I will be sitting on my porch today (after garden duties), waiting to see if he pays us another stalker visit. I'm hope to have the girls help me pick berries today. I'm trying to get them before the birds do, ha ha!

RB said...

The neighbor across the road usually keeps the field between us mowed low. This year, he let it grow, and earlier this Spring, we noticed little white flowers growing on brambles there when walking to the mailbox, so we thought we'd keep an eye out to see what those little white flowers grew to be. Turns out, they grew to be big and beautiful black raspberries which Bro Tom has been keeping picked clean every day or two. And they're real sweet too, what a treat.

About the surveying, if I might suggest, I'd dig a hole about 2-3 feet deep at each of the surveyor's markers, fill it about 3/4 full with a sack of Sakrete concrete mix, add water and stir it up according to the instruction on the bag, and when it dries, cover it over with dirt and leaves to kind of conceal it. Your noisy neighbor might remove the surveyor's markers (meaning you'd be starting all over again to get them replaced), but he'd have a really hard time digging up and hauling away those big heavy Sakrete plugs, meaning they'll be there forever to keep track of what's yours and what's his.

God bless.

RB
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