Black Raspberry Pickin'

Yesterday Little Monkey, Baby C, and I went and picked black raspberries!  I wish I had gotten more pictures of the farm where we picked because the setting was so beautiful!!!  I am hoping to go back Friday or Saturday and pick more, but we'll see how the weather goes.

For those of you who are local, we went to Grelen Nursuries in Orange County, VA.  It is right off RT 231.  You wind back on a road that seems to go forever, its one of those roads where you are surprised at how many farms there are.  You see beautiful rolling hills covered with trees, a large sod farm with lovely lawns, and beautiful country houses.

Here is a brief history from their website.

"In 1990 Dan Gregg founded Grelen Nursery on property that has been in his family for three generations.

Grelen began as a wholesale nursery. Over the years, business and demand grew so much that Gregg shifted Grelen Nursery to a retail operation. In 1997, again thanks to client demand, Gregg added landscaping and hardscaping divisions and brought in Zeke Galvin as a partner to head them up.Today, Grelen Nursery is one of the largest retail nurseries in Virginia. Grelen occupies 500 acres, 150 of which are planted with over 100,000 trees and shrubs, in 100's of varieties. Grelen offers a full-range of landscape, hardscape and maintenance services. With seven crews, two large tree spade trucks to transplant mature trees and a team of master stonemasons, craftsmen and gardeners, Grelen Nursery caters to clients who demand, and receive, the highest quality products and services." Last year at the nursery they added a pick your own section to the farm where they raise blackberries, blueberries, and black, red, and white raspberries.  Next summer they plan to add  apples, peaches, Asian pears, cherries, asparagus, and mushrooms to the pick your own farm as well.  Grelen will also be opening a Farm Market & Garden Shop where anyone will be able to purchase produce and plants and anything else they choose to sell!  Personally I can't wait for the store to open, this farm is only 10 minutes from my house so it will be really great to be able to get farm fresh produce! The picking went pretty fast I think, my sister in law joined us, and between us we picked 6 quarts in about 1 1/2 hours.  It probably would have been quicker but picking with an infant and a 4 year old....well, lets just say it had its moments.  Last night I made one recipe of freezer jam that will be ready to try tonight!  We will be having biscuits with dinner tonight!  If you are looking for a good recipe try this one. Even though it was really hot and humid, we had a fun morning!  We will definitely be going back again! Melissa