It’s been a long time since I’ve posted.  Mainly because life has been crazy.  If we’re not enjoying our beautiful granddaughter, we’re probably working in the yard or the berry fields.   Truth is there’s nothing we’d rather be doing!

We had a rough winter because after planting last fall, Woody suffered a farm injury and broke two ribs and tore his rotator cuff.  So there’s been a lot of rehabilitation going on.  Needless to say we made a few changes to the equipment and are more safety conscious.

Early in the spring we put grow tubes around the smaller berries in an effort to keep the critters from pulling them out and eating on them.  It was really a good decision for us.  Abe and Sasha chase off deer at least two or three times daily so every little bit of prevention helps.  The berries we put in last fall are coming out the tops of the grow tubes we placed around them and they look really healthy.   We did remove the grow tubes once to use a foliar spray which was the easy part.  Replacing them all after the deer had pulled out five plants, was a pain in the rear.

I’ve been spending a lot of time this summer with “my new favorite tool,”  a DR Power Trimmer.  It really is a good solution for getting in between the berries and taking the grass and weeds down low.   For me especially, the California emission motor, and 16″ wheels makes it far easier to use than either a weed eater or a small lawn mower.  It has been a real help this summer keeping weeds under control.   We have a picture of Woody using the trimmer.

We attended the Midwest Aronia Association Conference earlier this summer.  It was eye-opening seeing and talking to so many other folks interested in the same berries.  We learned even more about these healthy little berries, their history and use in Poland, and their potential.  We also dined on several delicious entrees prepared using aronia berries.

We have fertilized with fish emulsion, watered, trimmed between bushes, and loved up on the plants all summer long.  Now we are encouraged because we have berries!  Not very many yet, because it’s still a little early.  The plants take three to four years to produce a crop, but we have some producing and expect a few more next year.  Our first bushes are two and a half years old.

The few berries we have (that we haven’t already eaten) will be frozen and eaten.  From what we’re reading, 1/4 cup of berries daily is so beneficial for your health.  There are studies which point to lowering cholesterol and preventing diseases.  I’ll post more about that later, but right now, I can’t wait to show the photos!  [slideshow]