It's been a good year for berries. The rainy spring has apparently agreed with them. We have a bumper crop of Tay berries. For those who don't know, and I think many do not, Tay berries are a cross between Logan Blackberries and Raspberries. They were developed near the Tay River in Scotland, hence the name.
When they are ripe they develop a purply like colour. The darker one above is nearly ripe. The red berry has a day or two to go.
Last year we didn't get but a handful of berries, the harsh winter cold with little snow cover froze the canes back to just a couple. Like raspberries they fruit on the previous year's canes. This year is a different story.
What can you do with Tay berries? 3 quarts of Tay berry cordial comes to mind. In a couple of weeks these will be a delectable treat.
Other uses are the same as for raspberries or blackberries. Cobbler, pie or wine. We have not tried the wine yet but are about to venture into that. Tomorrow my wine making equipment arrives and thus will begin a new venture. I don't know if we can wait 6 months or a year for the wine to mature.
The blue berry bushes are also doing well, now that we have effectively fenced out the deer, the bushes are growing adding some size and there is a respectable showing of fruit. We never had a problem with deer eating the Tay berry bushes, they are just too thorny. One has to be quick to get the blue berries though, birds like them best of all it seems. They pluck them as fast as they ripen. We will either have to throw up some bird netting or overwhelm them with volume.
One of Mrs. Waggs favourite berries, the native blackcap. We have a volunteer bush near the tool shed. We are hoping to establish a few more bushes in the vicinity.
When they are ripe they develop a purply like colour. The darker one above is nearly ripe. The red berry has a day or two to go.
Last year we didn't get but a handful of berries, the harsh winter cold with little snow cover froze the canes back to just a couple. Like raspberries they fruit on the previous year's canes. This year is a different story.
What can you do with Tay berries? 3 quarts of Tay berry cordial comes to mind. In a couple of weeks these will be a delectable treat.
Other uses are the same as for raspberries or blackberries. Cobbler, pie or wine. We have not tried the wine yet but are about to venture into that. Tomorrow my wine making equipment arrives and thus will begin a new venture. I don't know if we can wait 6 months or a year for the wine to mature.
The blue berry bushes are also doing well, now that we have effectively fenced out the deer, the bushes are growing adding some size and there is a respectable showing of fruit. We never had a problem with deer eating the Tay berry bushes, they are just too thorny. One has to be quick to get the blue berries though, birds like them best of all it seems. They pluck them as fast as they ripen. We will either have to throw up some bird netting or overwhelm them with volume.
One of Mrs. Waggs favourite berries, the native blackcap. We have a volunteer bush near the tool shed. We are hoping to establish a few more bushes in the vicinity.
Tayberry pie has always been one of my favorites. They are so good!
ReplyDeleteWe don't have one single blueberry this year. I heard somewhere that the late frost may have killed our blossoms??? It's a bummer either way.
Next year is our year. Bring on the greenhouse! Bring on the produce!
I really like your header by the way. Pretty.
Tay berries are a cross between a Logan berry and a black raspberry to be precise. Ahhhhh just one more good thing about a black cap berry. It is so nice to have the deer fenced out. I do not feel like it is a lost cause any more. I hope I can get everything done while I am working.
ReplyDeleteWhat is a Tayberry? A Loganberry is a hybrid hexaploid cross of an octaploid blackberry by a diploid red raspberry. The Tayberry is a cross between an Aurora Blackberry and an improved tetraploid Raspberry. Got that?
ReplyDeleteoh brother!
ReplyDeleteA tayberry is just GOOD, okay!?
=)
Yeah, I'm with Heidi on this one!
ReplyDelete