The berries are beginning to ripen and judging by the numerous vehicles parked alongside the Gunflint Trail, the usual spots are still producing. Last year Rachelle and I did not make enough time to gather berries and the homemade pies were greatly missed. Wild blueberries and raspberries are my favorite fruits of the forest and can be easily frozen and enjoyed all year long if you are willing to put in the time to gather them.
Some of the best-kept secrets on the Gunflint Trail are sacred fishing spots and berry patches. The burn area near Seagull Lake (which is getting greener every year) still has a lot of berry patches that are fairly easy to find. The patches will thrive in recently burned areas for quite awhile before getting muscled out by the rebounding vegetation.
Any of the numerous gravel roads along the Trail are also excellent places to search for both raspberries and blueberries. If you simply cannot find any berries on your own, just look for some vehicles parked along the road and be sure to give your fellow pickers plenty of space.
Oh, and be sure that you look down instead of up while searching. They grow on bushes, not trees.
Anytime there is a gathering of people like this, I feel it necessary to discuss the etiquette involved with picking berries near someone that you do not know. Much like fishing, it is considered rude to accost a fellow picker without permission. First come first served is the rule to follow unless your competitor is a hungry black bear.
It is also wrong to “relieve” oneself in a berry picking area—that is why I prefer to harvest berries that are above the waistline whenever possible.
Last time we had an acceptable stockpile of frozen blueberries I experimented with pie dough in an effort to master the art of creating the perfect crust. The recipe can be learned in a few minutes since there are only a few simple ingredients but it is anything but simple to perfect.
I have better things to occupy my time these days and cleaning up the explosion of flour in the kitchen grew tiresome so now I simply buy the pre-made crusts from the grocery store. They turn out great and are much easier to clean up.
Saganaga Lake has a lot of burn area to search for berries and I will try to visit these campsites often in the next couple of weeks while guiding. Unfortunately most of the berries I pick go immediately to my mouth instead of the freezer, but I will do my best to save some for the kids.
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com or call 218- 388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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