Ah yes, I have now completed 13 of 50 hikes. Along most of those trails, I’ve passed Huckleberry bushes. Sometimes, the small, plump fruit has been sweet, a burst of nature’s candy on my tongue. Other times, tart, bitter, better left unpicked. So, how do you know? How can you tell if it’s the right time to pick a huckle? Here are some tips:
· Color – A ripe huckleberry will be dark purple – almost black. Leave them behind if they still show a red tinge.
· Feel – Plump and slightly soft like a miniature plum. Too hard and it’s underripe. Too soft and you’re too late.
· The best method is to take one off the bush. Did it pop-off with ease? Practically roll into your fingers? It’s gonna be good. If it takes a hard yank to be released, it wasn’t ready.
If you find a good haul of berries, be thoughtful. First, be gentle when removing them; raking and rough handling are bad for the plant. Always leave some behind. Bear, chipmunks, grouse, and songbirds thrive on the fruit.
Don’t forget to thank Mother Nature for her bounty. At my local bakery, a huckleberry pie costs $40. A price that makes sense when you think about the time it takes to pick the five cups of berries required. Last year, I spent a few hours picking near Delyle Ridge in Clark Fork, and still didn’t have enough for a pie. I ended up mixing them with strawberries from my garden - a delicious combination.
Want to know more about huckleberry picking? Check out this article from the Forest Service.
See you on the trail!