# Holy blueberries/huckleberries!!



## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

Just was over at Reedsburg dam for the crayfish boil last weekend and did I ever clean up on the berries!!! 
Ended up with 30lb!!!!


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

Great report, I had the Rake in my truck this weekend in case I made it to the boil. Couldn't get there too much on my plate this weekend. I was hoping to let you try it. I know there are some right by camp.

What percentage were ripe?


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

About 50% of the huckleberries and about 10% of the blueberries. 
I was really hoping to see you there. Its so nice getting to meet people you talk to regularly. 
Would have been cool to try that rake too!!! 
Man! I hit a pocket of berries way back in the woods and there were so many berries, I didn't even know where to start picking! Lol! I might just have to take another trip over that way next weekend. I just can't pass up on pickin that good!
However, I did find a fairly productive spot near St Helen this morning after I dropped off my son at school. If I ever get out of this darned doctors apt. I'm headed back over to that spot to pick.


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## Scott K (Aug 26, 2008)

We did well on the berries in the Irons area also. Not 30 lbs though. Wow!

Is there a difference between huckleberries and wild blueberries? I thought it meant the same thing.


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

More berries!! 

I found an area close to home that's LOADED too! In the last two days, I've taken two full gallon bags out of there! Heading back tomorrow for more! I'm gonna be freezing, canning and making fruit leather for months at this rate! :lol:


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

Scott K said:


> We did well on the berries in the Irons area also. Not 30 lbs though. Wow!
> 
> Is there a difference between huckleberries and wild blueberries? I thought it meant the same thing.


Crazy part is, it didn't take me that long either. Most of the berries were huge. I just went out 4 mornings in a row and got a ton. That was just me picking too! Actually, total weight came to something like 29.4 lbs. Close enough to 30...


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

Anish said:


> About 50% of the huckleberries and about 10% of the blueberries.
> 
> I was really hoping to see you there. Its so nice getting to meet people you talk to regularly.
> 
> ...



Carlton Heston academy ? I have 2 grandsons there. A buddy has been hitting them hard a little west of St. Helen in the area that burned a few years ago. Just loaned him my rakes to try today. Looks like Friday and maybe Sunday for me, if I turn off the ringer on my phone.


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

swampbuck said:


> Carlton Heston academy ? I have 2 grandsons there. A buddy has been hitting them hard a little west of St. Helen in the area that burned a few years ago. Just loaned him my rakes to try today. Looks like Friday and maybe Sunday for me, if I turn off the ringer on my phone.


Yup. My 13yo son, Keelan goes there. I've homeschooled him since he was about half way through 1st grade. Finally, after he and I butting heads over the last year, I threw in the towel and said I'm done. No way I was putting him back in WB public schools, so I started looking into CHA. Needless to say, I'm FLOORED. Not only am I really impressed with just about every aspect of the school, but my son LOVES it there. So nice to see him excited about learning again. . 
My blueberry spot is just East of the academy. I drop Keelan off, go blueberry picking all day and then pick him up. Not such a bad day in my book! Be sure you take the bug spray if you go. Mosquitoes aren't bad at all, but this last rain brought out the blackflies. I got nailed on my neck and behind my ears yesterday and it's driving me nuts! 
Also, watch for ticks! I haven't had a tick on me since about mid June. Apparently, they are back for round two. I didn't get any on me, but my dog had 9 of them on her last night. Nasty damned things! 
Good luck on your picking. If it's anything like I've been finding, you'll have a load in no time. Especially with that rake of yours. I took another gallon and a half out yesterday. Starting to think I have developed a berry picking OCD :lol:. Trying to get myself to stay home and get some stuff done on my plants. Problem is, I keep thinking about going out to the woods :lol:. Berries won't be there forever. Loading up while I can. 
Happy picking!!


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

My buddy got 7 1/2 gal. In 2 hours, for his first time raking. He's ordering a couple of them. Tomorrow for me....if I don't have to work. Looking for 15 gal. And be done.

Grand kids are younger, a friend also has a teen there. All had challenges at public school, and are thriving now.


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

swampbuck said:


> My buddy got 7 1/2 gal. In 2 hours, for his first time raking. He's ordering a couple of them. Tomorrow for me....if I don't have to work. Looking for 15 gal. And be done.
> 
> Grand kids are younger, a friend also has a teen there. All had challenges at public school, and are thriving now.


WOW!! I'm going to have to get one of those rakes!! :lol:

Went out yesterday evening and got another gallon. Got 3 ticks too .


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

swampbuck said:


> My buddy got 7 1/2 gal. In 2 hours, for his first time raking. He's ordering a couple of them. Tomorrow for me....if I don't have to work. Looking for 15 gal. And be done.
> 
> Grand kids are younger, a friend also has a teen there. All had challenges at public school, and are thriving now.


 
I was just thinking about it and wanted to ask... Is that 7.5 gallons of usable berries or 7.5 gallons of good berries and the other stuff the rake picks up?


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

Not sure what he ended up with, I did about 12gal. or so yesterday.









I think I am just under 10 with the greens still in. Probably end up with 9 or so, after being winowed and floated. This was a burn area, planted to pine. Picking along the furrows. So there was some trash, leaves, sticks, pieces of root. That's about 2 hours. Steady but not killing myself. In regular woods it's cleaner.

Still a little too much green out there. Giving it a couple days, then hit in again and done.


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

Very nice! I took a gallon out yesterday and another out this morning. Slow going hand picking, but I don't mind. Kinda nice sitting out in the woods for hours.


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## Radar420 (Oct 7, 2004)

Nice job SB.

I need to find a nice blueberry patch - not too much sandy soil in the areas I frequent though.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

I done a lot of hand picking in my life. When I was a kid it was a mandatory chore imposed by dad picking berry's, mushrooms, etc. Eating them in the wood brought down the wrath of dad. 

After I had kids I did some light picking. Then discovered rake's in a Nat ego article 15 or so years ago and tracked down the maker. That wasn't easy to find a guy making them in his garage in Amherst Nova Scotia before the internet was invented.

Now we have them on hand all the time. Did you know that they are about the healthiest food on the planet. Kids and grand kids love them.


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

swampbuck said:


> I done a lot of hand picking in my life. When I was a kid it was a mandatory chore imposed by dad picking berry's, mushrooms, etc. Eating them in the wood brought down the wrath of dad.
> 
> After I had kids I did some light picking. Then discovered rake's in a Nat ego article 15 or so years ago and tracked down the maker. That wasn't easy to find a guy making them in his garage in Amherst Nova Scotia before the internet was invented.
> 
> Now we have them on hand all the time. Did you know that they are about the healthiest food on the planet. Kids and grand kids love them.


You have got that right about the healthy!! Crazy how it can stabilize blood sugar (among many other things..), Great food!! 
Did you run into any ticks? I have been picking a different patch then usual. Havent gotten any at the new place, but man! Every time I go to the one spot I pick, I end up with several. I HATE THOSE THINGS!!!!


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## James Dymond (Feb 23, 2002)

Got reply back yesterday from ask the DNR. My question are blueberry pickers/ rakes legal to use in Mich.
Response: (Jaqueline Waber) Not on state land.
Jim 

This was back in 2005 I believe.

Jim


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

I took it up with the mdnr several years ago. There are two laws that apply to picking.

1- you can not use anything that damages the plant. 

This is the one that causes confusion. Back in the old days the home made rakes would destroy the plants. The commercial rake that I use Does Not cause damage, if it did the blueberry farmers on the east coast would not use them, those plants are their livelihood.

2- you can not use a mechanical harvester. 

The definition of mechanical is 2 or more moving parts.....there are no moving parts.

There is no law on the books addressing rakes period. Those 2 laws are the only laws that apply to foraging. When I first got my rake, many people told me it was illegal. I took it to the regional office in Roscommon and met with the regional law supervisor. The conclusion was, It is legal.


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

So Swampbuck, ho have the ticks been where you are picking? I picked at a new spot and didn't get any this time. Just wondering if its that one spot I found that is full of bugs or if I just got lucky in my new spot? :lol:


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

No ticks, in fact I have never had to remove one in my life, fortunately


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