Day 232: Here they come! And unless we get a prolonged hot spell which causes them to drop from the bushes, I should have another bumper crop of gooseberries to turn into jam. I like to pick them when they first begin to show some "give" when squeezed. That's the "Goldilocks point" for gooseberries: the perfect balance between tart and sweet...not that a gooseberry can ever be called "sweet," but as soon as they develop the characteristic brown blush which indicates their full ripeness, the birds begin harvesting them. I don't mind sharing as long as I've put enough back for a batch of jam. And how those little stinkers get around the thorns is beyond me. I don't go as far as putting on welder's gloves to pick them like some growers do, but harvesting gooseberries should come with hazard pay. Is it worth it? You bet! Gooseberry jam is one of my favourite spreads for breakfast toast.
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