Foraging

Between the above average heat and lack of rain, this summer has seemed unpleasant and relentless.  I have to say that July and August have always been my least favorite months of the year.  Strange, I know, for someone who loves to garden.  But in the northeast, July and August translate into hot, humid days, too many biting bugs, too  many pests that spend all of their time devouring my flowers and veggies (e.g., Japanese beetles, lily beetles, squash beetles); the demise of the June explosion of growth and color in the gardens, and did I mention the heat and humidity?  Yeah, not a fan.  

Although we’re beginning to see glimpses of the late summer and autumn flowers — the dahlias, zinnias, cosmos in the garden, and wildflowers such as Joe-Pye Weed (above), goldenrod, daisies of many types, and Queen’s Anne Lace — the gardens are looking wilty and beaten down by heat and drought.  Since we rely on a well for our water, watering is reserved for any new trees and shrubs, container plants and any vegetables that are on their last leg. The other perennials and annuals are required to tough it out during the periods of no rain, which this summer, have stretched as long as 2 weeks or more.

So, rather than deal with the depressing reality of my flower gardens, this last Sunday we went on a blackberry foraging expedition in our woods.  It was early morning; the the air was still cool and the bugs not entirely awake yet.  The brambles are laden with blackberries this year — thousands upon thousands of them.  

We found a few raspberries tucked in among the blackberries as well.  We spent an hour or so walking, gathering berries, listening to the bird chatter, and taking photos.  

Purple Thistle or Spiny Thistle — this plant has a couple of names — it has some nasty spines, but is drought-tolerant and the pollinators love it. It’s growing wild among the brambles.

It was wonderful, until the day began to heat up and the mosquitoes found us.

 

Milkweed, which I was delighted to see in such abundance, is happily growing among the young trees and brambles of the “staging area.”  This plant is a host for Monarch butterfly caterpillars and as we bulldoze over open fields and/or spray them with a host of toxic chemicals, milkweed is becoming scarce, as are the Monarchs.

Possibly Purple Loosetrife, but I’m  not positive.

Great Mullein (verbascum Thapsus)– a 5-6′ tall spike that grows wild in the northeast, is actually a native of Europe, Africa and Asia, not N. America.  It tends to appear in open fields and farmland areas.  The pollinators love it, and it’s rather striking with its tall, yellow flower covered spike.

This is a lovely vine I noticed dangling from the lower branches of a tree on the edge of the walking path; the light from the rising sun was reflecting off the leaves and the flowers were so delicate in appearance.  I have no idea what this is, but thought it was worth the photo.

But we returned home with quarts of berries that were added to bags of raspberries and blueberries already in the freezer, waiting to be made into jams and jellies in another month.