farm life issue no. 3

Life on the farm is busybusybusy these days. Both blackberries & blueberries are going in earnest. The days are as long as the sun is out. The trucks are a steady stream at work, dropping off their crates of berries. To give some perspective, Sinn family farms took in over 1 million pounds of fruit last summer. They are just one of a few dozen farmers that bring fruit to this one cannery. There are more canneries in the area. Lots of fruit coming out of the Willamette Valley!

Blackberries are picked at night or early morning to keep their firmness. This is "the picker". It rides aboves the bushes & shakes them to loosen the ripe berries. A conveyor belt catches them & elevates them on padded escalators to the top deck.

There are 2 picker-outers picking out sticks, frogs, baby birds, & bad berries, anything that comes through that shouldn't. And I'm not kidding about the frogs & baby birds. 

The berries fill up crates which are then ferried from the picker to the truck via forklift. in the morning, the crates of berries make their way to good ol' Willamette Valley Fruit, where I see them getting processed into frozen bags, juice, & jam. I love it! I see the process from start to finish.

One might think we'd be sick of berries by now, but we aren't. I haven't nearly gotten my fill yet!

And despite the busyness, it's not all work & no play: the old '28 got brought out for some backfiring, putt-putting fun. 

Nelson hosted a single group invite at the pond, and the Sinn's went all out for 4th of July decorating! Kenton's old truck housed the beverages.

We saw fireworks from a less than prime spot on July 3rd (when the Oregon Gardens does their show), but we got a closer one when Riley surprised the single group with his own:) it's no Sibley, IL, show, but it was just as entertaining. 

I can't believe how fast the summer's flying! Oliver Wendell finally made it (nephew #7!); Olivia is growing & winning hearts-FYI, Dar is the worst baby hog of all; Jesse & Laura are out for a while; & my oven is still not repaired. All in the life of a berry farm & it's occupants.