Holy Mother of Black Raspberry

Pickin’, pickin’, and more pickin’. So the energys came through for us yet again (did I even doubt?) and as always, and interesting story accompanies our lush harvest of black raspberries.

As I was returning home a couple days ago I passed a man on the side of the road, just off the driveway and down from where I helped in the garden after inquiring about the pear tree. I wanted to introduce myself, as I thought this might be a neighbor. It turned out that yes indeed it was a neighbor who was an artist and photographer. After a few minutes of chit-chat I invited him to come photograph the landscape at our 260 acre farm if he wanted, which he gratefully agreed he would like to. More chit-chatting led to discussion about the pear tree, which he did in fact own, and did not eat the pears—I was welcome to them. (Yea!) And would I also like to pick berries, there are tons of them on his property? You bet I would. More chit-chat, oh you used to do landscaping? I’d like to landscape the front here . . . maybe some work down the road?? Or just a helping neighborly hand would be fine with me too!!

I was looking over the flora while I was picking berries today. Trying to avoid the poison ivy made me think of the many poisonous plants that can often be either growing wild or specifically planted in a garden. As I have a two year old who enjoys plucking and eating (she plucks peas and parsley and mint and red clover and nastursium and calendula/ marigolds and one time rhubarb flowers—not good! poisonous!—and before you know it is munching away) I thought I would include here a list of some of the plants to watch out for if you too have young children who like to graze.

Common name Latin name (SPP means ‘species’)

Baneberry Actaea rubra, pachypoda

Bleeding heart Dicentra spectabilis

Buckeye Aesculus californica

Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica

Castorbean Ricinus communis

California poppy Eschscholizia SPP

Crowfoot Ranuculus SPP

Dogbane Apocynum SPP

English Ivy Hedera helix

Foxglove Digitalis purpurea

False hellebore Veretrum

Iris Iris SPP

Japanese Pagoda Tree Sophora japonica

Jimson weed Datura SPP

Larkspur Delphinium SPP

Lupine Lupinus SPP

Monk’s hood Aconitum SPP

Morning glory Ipomoea/ Convolvulus SPP

Mistletoe Phoradendron SPP

Nightshade Solanum nigrum SPP

Oleander Nerium oleander

Poison hemlock Conium maculatum

Poison oak Rhus SPP

Poison ivy Rhus SPP

Sweet pea Lathyrus odoratus

Scotch broom Cytisus scoparius

Steer’s head Dicentra uniflora, pauciflora

Water hemlock Cicuta maculate

Wild tobacco Nicotiana SPP

Wisteria Wisteria SPP

Though not an all inclusive list, these are certainly quite a few to watch out for.

Rowan’s menu for today included:

banana-hemp milk with flax oil

green smoothie—banana, celery, spinach, apple, orange

strawberries

grapes

cookies—almond, hemp seed, coconut, cacao nibs, black sesame, apple, salt and sweetener

tons of black raspberries—Miss Rowan couldn’t keep her patty-paws off them!

more smoothie

vanilla almond milk

brazil nuts and jungle peanuts

Here’s black raspberries to you!! THPLLLLLPPPP!!!!! LOL!

~~Sharilyn and Rowan