Picking Gooseberries and Currants at the Farm
It’s berry picking season, and we’re picking an abundance of delicious summer fruits here at the farm.
Over the last couple of weeks, my housekeepers have been busy picking lots of raspberries and blueberries - in all different colors and varieties. They’ve also harvested boxes and trays of gooseberries and currants. Gooseberries are one of summer’s delights. The small, tart fruits are delicious eaten raw at the peak of ripeness or used for making jams, jellies, pies, and other desserts. Currants are those bright red, white, and black juicy, sour fruits. They’re packed with antioxidants, minerals, and loads of vitamin-C and they’re very easy to freeze and store for later use.
Enjoy these photos.
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- Here at my farm, my currants and gooseberries are located in a field behind my main greenhouse.
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- Some of you may recall I moved these berry bushes to this location last year. This area has much more room for them to grow and flourish. Here they are in mid-June – already growing many beautiful berries. Although closely related, one can easily distinguish currants and gooseberries by examining the canes and fruit. Gooseberry canes normally produce a spine at each leaf node and bear roughly grape-sized berries singly or in groups of two or three. Currant canes lack the spines and bear eight to 30 pea-sized berries in clusters.
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- Look closely, and you can see some of the many berries on these bushes. Currants and gooseberries will grow best in full sun to partial shade.
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- Here are some of the clustered white currants. I grow white, red, pink, and black currant varieties.
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- White currants, ‘Blanka’, are a sub-cultivar of the red currant. White currant berries are translucent with warm white tones and a slight pink blush color.
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- These white currants add flavor and texture to sauces, liquors, jams, jellies, and syrups.
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- White currants are sweet and tart with floral undertones. Although the fruits are the primary source of food from the plant, the leaves, and tender, young shoots are also edible.
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- The red currants can range from deep red to pink to almost yellow in color.
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- The fruits need to be picked quickly before they drop to the ground, or get snatched up by the birds. These currant bushes are very dependable and vigorous as growers.
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- The fruits grow in clusters called racemes and are very easy to pick. The best time to harvest red currants is when the fruits are firm and juicy.
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- The varieties of red currants that I grow include ‘Redstart’ and ‘Jonkheer Van Tets’ – both produce very bright, red fruits.
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- These ‘Pink Champagne’ currants are pendant clusters of fruits the color of champagne blushed with pink. These currants are less tart than the red and among the sweetest of all currants.
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- Although they may be eaten ripe off the shrub, pink currants are more often harvested for use in jams, jellies, and pies.
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- Currants are still largely unknown here in the United States. They are well-loved in many other countries, and here in the US, they are slowly gaining popularity, especially because of its high antioxidant content. They are now more prevalent at local farms and home gardens.
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- Black currant, Ribes nigrum, is a woody shrub grown for its piquant berries. You can’t miss them in the garden- they are very aromatic.
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- The best time to pick black currants is when they are dry and ripe. The varieties of black currants in my garden include ‘Ben Sarek’ and ‘Ben Lomond.’
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- Black currants are the most nutrient-rich of the currants. They are high in vitamins A, C, B1, B5, B6, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. They are also high in minerals, such as iron, copper, calcium and phosphorous. They can be eaten raw, but are usually cooked in a variety of sweet and savory dishes.
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- This day was quite warm and humid. Sanu makes sure she wears a wide-brimmed hat to protect herself from UV rays while picking.
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- I like to place currants in single layers, on trays, so they don’t get crushed. After each batch of currants is picked, my housekeepers gently take each fruit off its long stem. These trays of currants will be taken to my flower room, de-stemmed and then frozen until I can make them into wonderful jams and jellies.
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- The gooseberries in my garden include ‘Pixwell’, ‘Invicta’, and ‘Hinnonmaki Red’.
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- Gooseberries are native to Europe, northwest Africa, and all regions of Asia except for the north. Gooseberries grow best in areas with cold, freezing winters and humid summers.
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- Well-maintained gooseberry bushes can fruit for more than 15-years. They are fast-growing, deciduous shrubs, that can grow up to three to four feet tall, and up to six-feet wide. What is most noticeable in all are the veins in the skin of the fruit.
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- Gooseberries are not difficult to pick, but the stems are thorny, so care must be taken when harvesting the fruits.
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- When picking, look for full-grown gooseberries. American varieties usually reach about a half-inch long in size.
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- Also, look at the color – some varieties change color when they are completely ripe.
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- The color of gooseberries depends on the variety. It can range from red and purple to yellow and green. Discard any gooseberries you see on the ground as they are likely overripe.
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- These fruits come in many textures – smooth, fuzzy, spiny, opaque and translucent, but always with a taut skin.
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- One healthy gooseberry bush can produce up to eight to 10-pounds of fruit per season. Gooseberries are among the most nutritious fruits available. They are rich in antioxidants, iron, vitamins A and C, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Gooseberries are known to improve skin and vision health, and to increase immunity. Are you growing gooseberries and currants in your garden? Share how you like to use your berries in the comments section below.
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