Endless Summer.

Summer has started fading fast, and harvests of all kinds are happening. Oregon is ripe with berries throughout the Summer. Some planted, but mostly wild and considered "invasive." Wild blackberries can be found on almost any unattended piece of land whether it be National Forest, or the empty lot next to your house. This free source of food can provide so many opportunities, like fresh cobbler, freezer jam,  mashed up in a compote, or a new favorite is squeezing the juice and using it for a summer cocktail! So now with Fall in full swing, the last of these can be found hiding under leaves unseen by predators and protected from our searing heatwaves. Pick them locally or make a trip to your favorite swimming hole or hot springs, you'll be surprised how many you find. 

If the fruit is "burned" or over-ripe, use it immediately for cocktails, compotes, etc. The firm fruit should be used for pies, cobblers, and culinary treasures. 

A takeaway from any adventure... its not about what you went for, but what you came away with. I didn't get the most blackberries this last trip, but the sunflowers were out and I got excited about that.