Despite the hot temperatures in the Pacific Northwest, we are hearing that the huckleberries are beginning to ripen.  Depending on where you live and pick, you might want to start searching around your area or your favorite patches to see how they are doing.

In the meantime, enjoy some random fun huckleberry facts (Some taken from the EveryDay Wanderer website.  Others from our own website!)

1. 1.  Huckleberries are the official state fruit of Idaho

      “The huckleberry was designated the official state fruit of Idaho in 2000 (fourth-grade students from Southside Elementary School in Bonner County proposed adopting the huckleberry as Idaho’s state fruit).” 

   2. Huckleberries can be hard to find

      “Favorite huckleberry pickin’ spots are probably a more closely guarded secret than favorite trophy elk hunting, or trout fly-fishing, locations. And of course, huckleberry hounds are more prone to exaggeration about the size and numbers in their favorite patch, than anglers about their favorite hole, if you can believe that!”

   3. How to pick huckleberries

      “You can also pick your own huckleberries. (Huckleberry season is usually in August.) But before you do, you need to be sure you’ve properly identified huckleberries and not another, potentially poisonous, berry. You should also avoid picking around dawn and dusk. Black and grizzly bears love huckleberries and that’s their favorite time to snack. “

   4. Huckleberries are untamed berries that are difficult to domesticate

      “Domesticating wild huckleberries is a project that several different agencies have researched over the years.  Dr. Dan Barney, who has been a friend of this organization since its inception, has several articles on his findings while working at the University of Idaho’s Sandpoint Research center (which was closed in 2010).”

   5. Huckleberries are pricey, precious, berries

      “Because huckleberries resist cultivation, they must be gathered by hand in the wild where pickers compete with bears, coyotes, deer, and birds for the precious berries. And when you can’t scale production and have to battle a bear for berries, the price goes up. A lot.”

   6. Huckleberry products in stores are made from wild huckleberries

      Since domesticating wild huckleberries is challenging, commercial pickers are used to pick huckleberry to make those delicious huckleberry goodies you buy in the store.  “Commercial huckleberry pickers tend to get a bad rap.  After all, they are picking our berries.  But are they?” Check out the story

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