It was an odd winter, an even odder spring, and who knows what summer will bring? Still, this is a great weekend to load the kids in the car and head out to pick the fine fruit of Antrim County. I was over at King Orchards on M-88 on Wednesday taking pictures. The new little camera managed to capture some absolutely beautiful children. Perhaps we are beginning to bond. You can bring your beautiful children on a memorable adventure at King’s, or find the same experience at Ken Kamp’s Good Nature Farm, at Bargy’s Farm Market, at the Dawsons’ Cherry View Orchards or at the King farm stand on US-31.
There are dark sweet cherries and Queen Anne cherries, the raspberries are ripe, and the apricots are gorgeous. There might be blueberries, too. I’m off to do some harvesting of my own. I’ll show you more pictures tomorrow . . .
Torch Lake Views 
uphilldowndale
July 2, 2010
You and that little camera have started something special
Gerry
July 2, 2010
Thank you, Mrs. Uhdd. I almost lost the little camera the other day. Perhaps the experience made it reflect upon the error of its ways . . . !
Scott Thomas Photography
July 2, 2010
Stop right there…raspberries. Oh, how I love those sweet, tasty, wonderful gifts of the local farmers. Pies, cobbler, pies, berries off the vine, pies, on cereal, pies, preserves, pies…oh, I could go on an on about them in pies.
You seem to be getting a handle on the new digicam, Gerry. Very nice photos.
Gerry
July 2, 2010
Thank you, Scott. The most beautiful portraits were pure serendipity, but I hope to learn from the fortunate accidents of life as well as from the mistakes!
Raspberries are wonderful. And they are everbearing . . . we shall have them into September. Life is soooooo good.
Fee
July 2, 2010
I spent many a happy childhood day at the pick-your-own farm up the road from us. Usually strawberries and raspberries, to be made into jam by mum. We always picked brambles (blackberries) along the disused railway line, with the added benefit that they were free.
Every time, my dad would make the same joke about the farmer weighing us kids on the way in, then again on the way out, and charging for the difference in fruit!
Gerry
July 2, 2010
Weighing! If I can find a decorative old scale I think I’ll suggest that to the Kings!
P.j. grath
July 2, 2010
Love that slide show! I’ll be off for home soon with my fresh Leelanau farm produce. Isn’t this a great time of year?
Gerry
July 2, 2010
Yes! Have a lovely evening!
flandrumhill
July 3, 2010
Gerry, I did not know that maraschino cherries are yellow when they’re ripe on the tree but not processed yet. That is so cool.
Gerry
July 3, 2010
Originally maraschino cherries were a high-end artisan product made from marasca cherries soaked in liqueur, and I suspect they were a much darker red. These days they’re made commercially from lots of different light colored cherries soaked in corn syrup and red food dye. Sigh. However, I found a recipe for making your own at The Cupcake Project, if you’re so inclined! (Note: the recipe calls for sweet cherries, but I think it would be interesting to try it with nice tart Montmorency cherries. The crop was pretty well frozen out here this year, but there are lots of nice pitted frozen ones available from last year’s outstanding crop.)
My mother-outlaw used to preserved dark sweet cherries in either brandy or vodka, I’ve forgotten now. It was a standard pantry item for awhile, and the cherries just got better and better . . . Grandma Friske cans balatons in cider, and I think they’re wonderful. If I were going to go to the trouble of making anything, it would probably be balatons preserved in some kind of liqueur. There’s a fine crop of ’em coming on in a couple of weeks.
Carsten
July 4, 2010
The cherries looks veeeery delicious.
I think rum is good for preserving dark red very sweet cherries. Uhm!
Gerry
July 4, 2010
They are veeeeery delicious. I will try preserving cherries in rum and let everyone know how it goes. The main challenge will be in leaving the ingredients alone until the process is finished.