Huckleberries are an odd commodity. They are so very sought after and becoming so very expensive. And yes, they can be a pain to find and get to once you find them.
Huckleberry picking is not for the faint at heart.
Often the evasive berry can be found in the dead heat of summer on the side of a cliff in the heart of bear country. Many times I have been in a precarious position hunting down the most sought-after berry on the planet (or what seems to be).
To my knowledge, there are seven varieties of huckleberries. Some are small and round with a tougher skin and a matte finish. Others are almost teardrop shaped and shiny and sweeter than the former one mentioned. Some years the berries are HUGE, and some years they seem to be microscopic.
Two summers ago there appeared to be new growth ( in massive amounts) down low to the ground, with the leaves being young and oh-so tiny. The ‘baby berries’ are adorable but barely worth picking due to their ‘minuteness.’
Huckleberries seem to be cyclical. Usually, they are really abundant every 3 or 4 years, with the years in between being so-so.
But unlike the baby growth year, it’s very hard to know what this year will bring (Huckleberry wise) because of the massive freezes we endured and the warm/freeze-warm/freeze episodes that took place.
But desperate times call for desperate measures, so with gas prices skyrocketing, food prices crazy high, and house prices off the root, heating, and utilities on the rise, trying to save a buck here and there when you can counts.
Truth be known, our family LOVES huckleberries, but we’re just as fond of Boysenberries. And because huckleberries (if you can find them this year) will be crazy expensive (there’s no doubt about that!) and as Boysenberries are only a fraction of the cost, this girl’s freezer will be stocked (Lord willing) with the latter.
Hats off to you, Mr. Boysen because you created the most sought-after hybrid EVER.
You can read about the incredible Mr. Boysen by clicking here. (The Devil Wears Parsley)
This Op-Ed was written by Brenda Roskos-Editor of Montana 1st News, who has picked a gazillion huckleberries in her life 🙂
