It was dark when i picked them. I had to get them after work because if i waited until the following day the birds would have eaten them all. So i stood out there and picked them by the waning light of dusk. I needed a light but i intended to eat them straight off the tree so i had washed my hands and didnt want to dirty them. I did my best to tell the difference between black and maroon but some maroon ones ultimately got picked. They were very little, due to the drought. They were a bit stunted and short. However, the sugar content was high. I brushed the ants off of them and didnt worry about the little tan bugs. They were so little…extra protein. One popped and stained my hand purple. I launched the little handful of berries into my mouth and savored. Because it hadnt rained much all year the berries were very flavorful as the sugars were concentrated. It was a nice treat. Since it was producing, the mulberry tree was by far my favorite tree of all those i had planted.
Two days later i gathered my second handful of mulberries. They were soft, juicy, and sweet.
Each day there was a small handful of berries to consume after work. It was a good season of life; after all the strife of teens and twenties…having land and a handful of fresh berries to look forward to at the end of every day.
Yes our dew berry’s just started making. We had a good bit of them too!