Oops! I was sworn to secrecy. No one here reveals where they discovered their Huckleberry patch. But, Big Mountain is just that a BIG old MOUNTAIN. In fact, in addition to being a great source of little huckleberry bushes, the mountain is veiled with alpine lined trails for skiing on all sides. Choose your slope and go a picking!
Off we went early in the morning, just us 4 girls with some sawed off gallon milk containers, bottles of water, and some bear spray (just in case, one never knows). A picking we went for almost 4 hours hunched over scavenging the little guys.
10 cups later, we're done! I did a little over 1/2 my container while one of the "pro pickers" did a WHOLE container.
The huckleberry bush is normally just a green bush with ripened bluish berries. This one was unique with reddish leaves and the berries not quite ripe.
Usually they hide underneath the green leaves making the search more than just a scan of the eye. Finding the bush and lifting the leaves as your stooped over is the technique. Hum. Why did I enjoy this so much?
So what makes this huckleberry picking such a big deal? I mean everywhere you look roadside there are signs with fresh huckleberry pie, tarts, ice cream, and jam. In the grocery stores there are end of isle displays with huckleberry bark chocolate, lip gloss, candy, lotion, jelly, syrup etc. Well, the only place you are going to find a huckleberry bush is where mother nature planted it! No one has been able to cultivate it, period. So, there we have it. No mass production. You want some, go find it. Or, pay the big bucks just for a taste. I heard people can get $35 for a gallon.
I think I'll make a tart? No, maybe I'll make some jam. How about we just eat them as is, add them to pancakes, salads and cakes! Oh, decisions.
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