Sunday, August 3, 2008

more berry picking and the little cucumber that could


Last night Lynda and I got all gussied up for the Raspberry Jam - which meant, we found our sneakers, some long pants, extra water bottles, some canvas chairs... and, most importantly, our raspberry picking devices (aka large juice bottles wrapped in fiber tape with a carabiner to hook to our belt loops).  


We drove up to Arlee, Montana to the Common Ground U-Pick Raspberry Farm only to find out the Missoula Independent had misprinted the date. 

The empty stage said it all:  there would be no Jam tonight (And by "tonight" I mean last night because I suspect they are jammin' tonight).

Since we were there and ready for raspberries, we headed down a row and started picking, with only the company of a middle school sleepover to entertain us with their giggles. 



(How cool is that?  I never went berry picking at my sleepovers.  If I ever get to be a mom, that's going to be pretty high on my "activity" list.)



It's amazing how calming picking berries is.  It's methodical and soothing - even if there are pre-teens running around shouting at every good spot they find.  


You stand in the middle of a least a few acres of raspberry rows in a valley bordered by the panoramic Mission Mountains.


And then, it's amazing how shocking it can be to get to the scales and find out you owe a twenty spot because you picked almost seven pounds of raspberries. 

Economically, raspberries are a much better harvest than strawberries, which weigh a ton and rack up your bill quickly and can also be bought at the Good Food Store for $3.49/pound.  So last night I only picked raspberries. 


This morning, the only thing ready for harvest was the ill-fated cucumber.
 

I say ill-fated because as I mentioned before, Mysotis, occasional-resident boy dog, has been overwhelmed with an uncontrollable urge to urinate on said cucumber every morning.  


The Handyman says that it is inedible, but what do you think?  

Could you enjoy a cucumber sandwich knowing that a little soap and water was all that stood between you and some dog pee?  

Would you pickle a cucumber after knowing the pickling process had begun thanks to a beautiful white Samoyed? 

I admit, I'm inclined to say, "Yes! I can eat it!"


You let me know... That cucumber 'll keep a few days while we decide.


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

That cuc is hilarious, I think it could be a pickle.

What are you going to make with all those raspberries.

Daisy said...

Most of the raspberries will go in the freezer, but I've decided I need to slow down on hoarding summer goods in the freezer. I need to make something with them and enjoy them now!

So it's a pie. Gotta be a pie. I totally dig hot pie with vanilla ice cream. (Rhubarb with assorted berries is my favorite!)

Kassidy Kern said...

Not only no, but HELL no.
Thank you.

Heather said...

MMM...I want a piece of the pie! As for the cuc...I don't know - I don't like them, so it's hard to answer. But, I'll ask you this question - what other animals may have peed on the rest of your veggies that you don't know about??? You still eat them, right? Just a question...

Iowa Victory Gardener said...

Hi Daisy,
That whole thing with community picking gardens is very cool! And those mountains are downright gorgeous to this city gardener!

As for that poor cuke ... why not put that pot up high (on a table, say) where the dog can't reach? We have 2 dogs, so we try to prevent such eventualities, but you never know!

Personally, I'd be torn about eating it, and it would probably hinge on how badly I wanted to eat some Cold Thai Cilantro and Cucumber pickle salad ... hell, who am I fooling? I'd make the salad in a heartbeat and a thorough washing of the cuke! :-)

Daisy said...

Woo-hoo! That's two votes for me. One for the compost pile.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Urine is sterile. It's a lot better than what ends up on a lot of the fruits & veggies we get from Mexico (think Salmonella). I think I'd peel it & eat it.