365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Too Much Like Work
Day 306: I seldom see fruit on Red-Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum) in the backcountry because the critters think they're delicious. On the other hand, humans might have some reservations on the subject. The flavour is rather bland (I hesitate to use the word "insipid") but not unpleasant, and I suspect they'd make a good jelly if you were willing to pull the blossom ends off each berry. I planted a couple of bushes in my yard to provide nectar for hummingbirds (they are drawn to the hot pink flowers), and was uurprised when the plants yielded up roughly half a cup of fruit. Never one to forgo Nature's provender, I picked them and then set to the project of cleaning them. Analysis: the caloric benefit doesn't justify the effort for a snack. However, if you could collect enough to put through a food mill and then filter the mash through a jelly bag to get juice, it might be worthwhile. Somehow I don't think that's going to happen any time soon.
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