June 14, 2pm. Work done for day, so I decide to see when I’m going to go strawberry picking this year. Looking online at the various Pick-Your-Own places and I see
….they’re all done for the season!!
Since it was so hot so early this year, everything (including strawberries) reached maturity early and didn’t last for long. I check Appleberry Farm which is near us in Cross Plains, and the site said to call for daily schedule…. The recording said:
“The last picking of the season will be Thursday, June 14, starting at 4:30 pm and going until the berries are gone….”
Holy smokes!!!
Anyway, got there right at 4:30p, and although small, there were plenty to pick. Here’s what I picked in just less than an hour (6 quarts):
Just picked!
That night, I washed, measured, bagged and froze much of them to use in recipes throughout summer. The rest of them would be made into Strawberry Rhubarb Cream Pies!
Next day I finally got around to making pie. Crust uses lard from last season’s hogs (of course).
The various stages. Clockwise from top left: pie filled and crusts in place, filled and waiting for top crust, crust being rolled out.
I always feel good when I get to use ingredients from animals I raise (or fruit or veggies that I grow and/or pick) in dishes we like to eat. J loves pie, and I have to admit, this recipe is pretty awesome. I’ll try to post it sometime. Here’s the finished product:
Fresh, hot pies from the oven. Click on image to see them up close, if you’re not too hungry…
Here you go hon…
