Took a Sunday drive

[webfoot]

A friend told us about where to pick huckleberries. They aren't ready yet but we decided to go drive up there to find the general location. Drove right past Nicky's place. We waved as we went past. I don't know if you saw us. We were told to go 10 miles up the Eagle Creek Road. We got there and saw the bushes with no berries. Came back down the hill and took another route out of there. I had heard about fishing on Thief's Valley Reservoir so we went over there. Bigger reservoir than I thought it would be. I will need to take the boat over there at some later date. Wound around some back roads to Baker. The wife said she would take me to a Father's Day dinner in Baker. Got there and she realized that she hadn't brought her purse along. So I got to buy us a Father's Day dinner. What is wrong with that picture? Beings as I was buying it is a good thing I didn't stop at the steak house in Haines ......

 

[leanin' H]

We attended a family reunion down in Torrey Utah Saturday. Got a motel room that evening and came home Sunday. Took the scenic route past Otter creek reservoir and Marysvale and ended up in Richfield for lunch. But Wendy's was all that was open so we had a Father's Day burger.

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

If you want to pick the best huckleberries, then go past Sumpter toward Granite a few miles and take the road to the right that goes to the old Bald Mountain Mine. The mountainside to the left will be covered with huckleberries. Beware of bears and stupid people.

Passing up the Haines Steakhouse tells me you either were wearing slim-fit Cinch jeans and couldn't get your wallet out of those W-less back pockets or you just weren't all that hungry hahaha!

 

[Nicky]

Didn't see you wave, went to church then to a BBQ at the neighbors upper place. They said they had seen green huckleberries. There are good spots closer than Eagle Creek. Those were our cows by the road to the reservoir. There should be pretty big fish as they didn't drain it last year.

 

[webfoot]

I wondered if those were your cows when we were dropping down toward the reservoir. Feed looked good where they were. Travis Bloomer told us to go up the Eagle Creek road 10 miles. He said to do it on July 9th to be in the berries. It wouldn't hurt that road any for someone to run a grader across it with the blade down. I am all ears on a better place to get berries. I am looking forward to Huckleberry pie, hotcakes, etc etc.
We didn't go directly through Haines and at that point Edna was still buying. I didn't think the steak house was in her budget. Didn't realize she had no money with her until we got to Baker. I had spent the whole day on Saturday at the Haines rodeo grounds. We had another roping school for young kids. By the time I left that day a steak was not on my mind. More like cold water, maybe ice cream.

 

[Faster horses]

I LOVE HUCKLEBERRY ANYTHING. The bad news is.......we don't grow them here.
I used to pay $20/gallon for some that people picked up by Hungry Horse Dam in SW Montana.
but I don't know anyone who picks them any more.

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

I used to pick and dry gallons of huckleberries. I made jam until I was sick of it. Pie made from the fresh-picked berries was the best. I picked both the Eagle Cap and Sumpter/Granite areas and generally the Sumpter area had the best patches. The best moral mushroom patches were usually in the Eagles.

However, my favorite was the cut leaf blackberries that Webfoot can pick from his Burnt River Canyon area and down the Snake River Canyon and around Halfway. They make the best pies and especially the best wine. A cut leaf blackberry with a huckleberry mix also makes a mouth-watering pie or jam.

Huckleberries in Northeastern Oregon

Another old, but wonderful article on huckleberries in Oregon. Originally published in 2006, this Baker County article is just as pertinent today as it was 9 years ago. Here are some of the highli…

wildhuckleberry.com

 

[leanin' H]

All this huckleberry berry talk is tough on a guy trying to lose a few lbs.

 

[webfoot]

A picture I took on our drive. That is a part Thief's Valley Reservoir in the middle of the picture and the Elkhorn Mountains in the distance. Be a better picture when the snow was still on the mountains.

 

[Faster horses]

I have learned to use Huckleberries sparingly. When I had them, I mixed them with blueberries to give the blueberry pie more flavor and to extend the Huckleberries as long as possible. You do what you have to when Huckleberries are in short supply. I wish I had some now!

 

[Nicky]

The feed is pretty good there, not like normal but not bad. We always leave grass behind so that helps on a year like this one. The two pastures in your picture are ones he sprayed medusahead and did some seeding so we might not get to use them.

 

[webfoot]

Dang medusahead. I have a couple little patches but I haven't figured a way to spray it. Both places are too steep for equipment.

 

[Nicky]

Stop it while you can!

 

[webfoot]

Stop it while you can!

I understand.