Day 300: First order of the day...jam up yesterday's gleanings. Last year, the blackberry crop was the poorest I'd ever seen, severely inhibited by hot, dry weather. I'd tried four spots where picking was normally easy, but came home with less than a quart of berries. When I noticed that this year's were beginning to turn black and plump, I decided to strike at once. Since I was already planning to go to Eatonville to see the matinee showing of "Star Trek: Beyond," I loaded bucket, gloves and clippers in the car and left early. Picking wasn't prime, but I soon filled the pail. I juiced them as soon as I got home and let the mash settle overnight. After separating the remaining seeds out this morning, I had exactly four cups of juice, just enough for one batch of seedless blackberry jam. Soon, I was listening to the happy, tinny sound of "Plink! Plink! Plink!" as ten half-pints cooled on the kitchen counter. Not one to let anything edible go to waste, I spread the skimmed foam on homemade toasted sourdough bread for my breakfast. It was worth the wait!
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