It’s a hot August afternoon in Maine, and I just returned from foraging wild raspberries. I ended up picking a quart of these red juicies out in the wilds. I left my car radio on nice and loud for two reasons. One is that it’s obvious that many other animal friends are enjoying the bountiful harvest, some much bigger than others (bear and moose I’m thinking), as seen from the enormous indentations in the growth surrounding the most succulent berry bushes. I would rather make a loud entrance than scare someone up.
Attempting to Enjoy Picking Wild Berries
The other reason is that sometimes a little music is necessary to motivate me to actually stay out there and pick. Harvesting wild berries is not all kicks and giggles. Listening to a little Led Zeppelin helped distract me from the the pain of sharp barbs catching me in the back and the awkward, sweaty work of getting up and under those bushes. You can’t just stand and pick wild raspberries. Like many things in life you have to work hard and suffer a bit to be rewarded. The best berries are hidden deep and low so you’re either scratching the heck out of your arms trying to reach them, or sweating profusely because you smartly wore a hoodie to protect your skin while the sun rages on at 87℉.
The deer flies, who love the exact same places where wild raspberries grow, are constantly zooming loudly in a circle around you, ready to land on an eyeball whenever the opportunity arises. My herbal bug spray works well, but I will be honest and tell you that NOTHING will deter a hungry deer fly in a field on a hot day in Maine. I actually had one bite me on the ass today through my pants. But I got the sucker. Oh yeah, that reminds me, always wear pants and decent shoes, no flip flops, and if you step on a beehive, move very slowly.
The first time I picked wild raspberries was at my friend’s grandparents’ camp on Sandy Point in Prospect, Maine when I was seven or eight years old. I’ve been hooked ever since. Nowadays, I like the feeling I get when arriving home and presenting these gorgeous delectables to my children – hey wait – what happened to when they used to come and pick WITH me?! I love feeding the kids healthy happy food, even if takes a little effort.
Why Wild Raspberries are a Nutritional Powerhouse
Foraging wild raspberries gives you an amazing food source, with their optimal nutritional breakdown of 82% carbohydrates, 10% fat and 8% protein, and loaded with Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron and fiber. They make one of nature’s most perfect foods. And by the way, I did snarf down a few handfuls before feeding the masses.
My Free Foraging eBook, as shown below can be downloaded here.
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