Wild Strawberries in Bloom

Wild Strawberries Blossoms image copyright Nannette Richford

The wild strawberries are now in full bloom. They always bring fond memories of my mother. When I was young we would head out in the early morning to pick wild strawberries. Within a short time we each had a two or three quart bowl overflowing with the tiny berries. My mother loved to make strawberry shortcake for a summer treat, but most of them were used in jam making.

In later years, she discovered strawberries and ice cream. We did not have fancy dishes, but we did have the old goblet-shaped coke glasses. She would mix the berries with sugar, crush a few  and then let them set until it drew the juice from the berries. She would layer vanilla ice cream in the bottom of the glasses and then add a layer of syrupy berries and repeat for several layers.This was a delightful treat on a hot day.

She eventually made less jam and froze the berries once she owned a freezer. I don't remember eating the frozen berries in the winter, but we must have. When I see wild strawberry blossoms, I think of her and all the hard work she did to raise her family.

If you haven't tried wild strawberries, I encourage you to pick some this summer and give them a try. They are small and can be difficult to pick and hull, not to mention that the blackflies can be fierce in the strawberry fields, but their flavor is much more intense than the flavor of cultivated strawberries.

Strawberries typically ripen in late June in my area of the state. If you are unsure when they ripen in your location, ask your neighbors.

                                                             Until Next Time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!