THE LAND NORTH OF SUPERIOR

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When the fruits of nature ripen there are many customers out there in competition for them.  Some of these nature shoppers need the berries that grow so abundantly most years.  When you head out to your favourite berry patch be careful, others might already be enjoying the land north of Superior.

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In the last several years we have had some huge fires north of Superior.  Fire does one thing really well; it provides all the necessary nutrients and growing conditions for blueberries.  Seeds that can lay dormant for up to seventy-five years are brought to sprout by the acidic conditions after a ground burn.  These seeds whether from berries that grew here earlier or from animal and bird dropping grow to huge sizes in the rich post fire soils.  As blueberries need sunlight, and lots of it in order to grow and ripen the lack of a forest canopy blocking sunlight helps produce large berries.

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Forest company operations also produce somewhat less ideal conditions for the tasty blueberries.  Perennial picking spots can last for many years depending on soil conditions and the silvaculture (reforestation efforts) undertaken by the sustainable forest licence holder.  Once a forest canopy is re-established the berries will die off, their seeds will go to sleep in the soil.

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Last year was a banner year for blueberry pie, milkshakes, pancakes (my personal camping favourite), and the list goes on and on.  My wife does a great job with berries but each year I am reminded that I came from a baking household.  Taken from the deep freeze, during the white times that hold us captive for months, they provide a tasty addition to baking and other desserts.  Our Mother knew seemly endless ways of using these berries either fresh or later from the freezer.  None of them could be described as being simply good.  Once the JOB of picking and cleaning was done the time for feasting began.  After playing outside, and we didn’t have TV to keep us in, the house would be bursting with baking smells when we returned.  Have you ever seen two growing boys sit quietly waiting for the first hot blueberry buns to come from the oven?  Seconds and thirds with real milk disappeared in record time.  Back then we never stayed still long enough for calories to catch up to us.

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The blueberry has held the position of my favourite berry even though we are already full of strawberries and raspberries.  These two, mouth-watering as they are require cultivation, and that means work for boys and girls.  Weeding the strawberry patch was one of my least enjoyable pastimes.  The staking and supports of the raspberry plants was slightly more to my liking as we got to do knife and axe work to cut the stakes required to hold the berry heavy plants upright.  Later we used a three-foot high railing around both sides of the rows of raspberry plants, this could be left up year after year if kept in repair.  The blueberry didn’t require this extra attention.  Find a patch on a sun baked hillside or top and handfuls of fruit were waiting to be eaten.  Oh yeah, you needed to put some in the basket for all the good things Mom would use them for at home.

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Over the years we have often run into bears during berry season.   They are in need of the berries to sustain them through the long hibernation during winter.  The cubs in particular need to put on as much weight as they can in order to survive the sleep.  Because of the plenitude of food during the summer the bears are not as aggressive as they are in the spring when pickings are poor.  Also back in the old days bears were rarely seen.  When they were it was often the rear end of a fleeing animal as its fear of man would send it to less populated places.  Even back then a sow with cubs was not to be trifled with.  Loud yelling served two purposes, it tended to send the bear family packing and it brought our adults quickly to the scene, and then combined voices would send the bears packing.

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This year I will take extra care during blueberry season.  In the past two years bears have become more aggressive as none are being hunted and killed during the cancelled spring bear hunt; they simply are loosing their fear of man to hunger.  It takes so many square miles to support a bear and without thinning the population they are becoming overcrowded and competition for food is becoming fierce.  It would be wise to remember that bears can reach a speed of thirty miles an hour and quickly.  A human cannot hope to outrun a bear.  The idea is not to attract them in any way, keep food and garbage in closed containers and in the back of your truck or car.  Berry baskets likewise should be put away; the half hour or more spent picking a four-litre pail is only a momentary snack for a feeding bear.  Youngsters need to be kept on a tighter rein and remember that many loud voices are better than one.

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It is prudent to move to a different patch if a bear decides he likes the same one you are picking.  But a nuisance animal damaging property, or heaven forbid human life, once dispatched must be reported to the MNR (Ministry of Natural Resources) immediately.

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In the coming berry season enjoy the great outdoors and the freedom Crown Land use provides.  You are welcome in the land north of Superior, but remember to exercise care and restraint.