Spring has sprung!

Blueray Blueberries in the upper field

I love when the fields turn green, the berries bloom and the crop is underway and visible to the naked eye.  I often wonder and estimate as I look at the new bloom just the number of days until that bloom will be fruit, ripe for the picking.  Will it be 6 weeks?  Will it be more?  Will hail knock it off or will a late freeze nip it in the bud?

We did have a late freeze this year, in fact two of them.  Our in-resident expert on freeze damage at the University of Arkansas sent a notification that berries in bloom will be lost if the temperature goes below 28 degrees.  Our field did get below 28 degrees to 26 degrees.  We were worried that the bloom would turn brown and fall off the bush, but you can see from the picture that if that occurred, there were also berries that didn't fall off the bush!  We may have a slight damage from the freeze, but we are expecting a crop come June!

We also wondered about our blackberries; they had just begun to bloom when the late freeze occurred.  It's unclear at this point how much loss we sustained on the blackberries, but once again, there are still blooms opening and it looks like we will have a good blackberry harvest.

Osage Blackberry

The raspberries weren't in bloom when the freeze occurred, so there shouldn't be any damage to the raspberries from the freeze.  They are just beginning to bloom right now and in all the field the bumblebees and honey bees are busily working the flowers and pollinating the crop.  You almost have to watch your step as you walk through the rows.  Sometimes a bumblebee will bump into your shoulder as they zoom across the row.  Their work is cut out for them!  I'm sure our work will ramp up come the middle of June.

Nova raspberry with honey bee on bloom.

In this crazy new world of being in a pandemic we are cautiously working our way through just how to manage the picking of the crop.
We are planning to offer soap and water to wash before entering and after exiting the field.  Plans are being made to sterilize the buckets and we hope to use plastic bag liners in the buckets.  Signs will be up to maintain a 6 foot social distancing guideline throughout the field and we plan to wear gloves and masks as we work in the barn.  We are going to be accepting credit cards with a tap on the Square, cash, check, or Venmo payment.

Will we get everything absolutely right?  I'm not sure about that.  However, I can promise that we will try to do our best.  We are just human but know that in the craziness of life there is a hope that is steadfast and sure, that never fails.  Our hope and prayers during this pandemic and the uncertainty in life is in Jesus.  I'm thankful for a faith that sustains me and am grateful for the blessings and joys to be found in this life of mine.

Duke blueberry in bloom

Sweet blessings in my life!