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It is funny to think we have different varieties of livestock and we have so much wildlife to contend with as well. Maine has had success with helping the wild turkeys prosper. It is to the point where we are over run with turkeys.
Out in the back fields are full of wild blueberries, they are smaller than the cultivated ones you usually see in the store but they have the most intense flavor. In the past we tried using a blueberry rake which is the size of a dust pan with a lot of tines so it will catch the blueberries (and branches, leaves and bugs). Well for us if you counted in the time picking out all the unwanted stuff the rake pulled, it takes the same amount of time to pick them by hand. Sometimes you can sit in one big patch and hardly move to fill your bowl. Our first year here we picked close to 15 quarts. Free berries and there are so many things you can do with them.
We used to all go out as a family, close up the farm stand and pick for a day or two. But as the business started to grow it was just the older kids, then just one person would go out to pick. So I sent my eldest boy Louie out to pick. He is the type of person that would rather go out in a field and work by himself then do a group activity, I dont care either way as long as it gets done. So off to work for Louie with his big empty bowl. It was going to be a warm day and usually if the blueberries are ready then the blackberries are ready too. So my daughter Sissy and little Nick were to help me pick the blackberries and we are getting twice as much work done. I no sooner got outside heading for the berry patch, there is Louie running up the hill like his pants were on fire and screaming like a little girl. I watched him run to the house; he obviously didnt hear me calling him so I drop what I am doing and go see what the matter is.
Louie!! I holler
Mama, I was so scared. There is something out back and it was trying to attack me. The sound kept getting louder and louder. He said, all out of breath.
What do you think it was ? I asked
I dont know but I dont want to go back there by myself he said.
Well Louie sometimes is a Tom Sawyer about doing chores and there isnt really anything that is going to harm you. Usually if you make a big noise what ever it was will go away.
Grab your bowl, I will go back there with you and check it out I said being all brave about it.
Get in the truck I said.
Now I have a beat up old 1988 Dodge Ram that has a million rust holes and I only use in the summer for farm work. My crappy truck at the time didnt really have much of a muffler left, it sounded like those loud motorcycles that go by in the summer. Earsplitting to say the least, there isnt any use trying to listen to the radio because I dont care how loud you have it you wouldnt be able to hear it.
So my truck at the time could be pretty intimidating and kicking up the gravel on the dirt road was a plus at the time. As I climbed the hill I asked Louie, Where were you when you heard the noise?
Right there he said as he pointed to the right.
I drove into that field and there were 3 wild turkeys eating blueberries. That was the big menace that scared the life out of my teenage son? So I drove closer to them and beeped my horn which they decided they were full and ambled off to the forest.
Gees Louie, you were scared of three turkeys? Next time try hollering at them.
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