• General

    Chokecherry Harvest Has Begun!

    Today’s foraging run was all about the chokecherries! Many of the trees are only half-ready to pick at this time, but others are fully ready, some Pin (red) and some Black. Some bushes put out tiny berries, but most of them are putting out really fat, plump berries this year! We actually need more leaf than cherry this year, but I’ll make more juice concentrate and syrups with the berries we bring home just the same. We have quite a bit already dried from previous years that we haven’t worked our way through yet, so no need to dry them…

  • Rail Trail - Tea - Valley Hills - Warm Hug

    Chokecherry: What it is, How we use it

    The very name of this berry is enough to make anyone stand back three feet and go, “you’re not eating THAT are you???” Yet anyone who has tried the fruit after proper preparation generally enjoys it. So why the scary name?! Chokecherry gets it’s name because of the very tart flavour it has. This tartness is caused by a compound known as hydrocyanic acid. This hydro-cyanide compound is also known as anthocyanin and occurs not just in chokecherries, but in the pits of domestic cherries as well as almonds. In fact, crushing dried chokecherry adds an almond flavour to sauces,…