From the Silicon to the Tanana Valley: Fall is falling

Monday, September 1, 2025

Fall is falling

The end of summer always means berry picking! Late summer is nice, the mosquitoes have died down and some rains usually come, reducing fire threat and clearning the air. These are bunchberries. They are not poisonous, but nobody eats them either. Maybe they just aren't tasty or they don't have much nutrition? This mushroom is a boletus. My friend AT that I was picking with took a few, but I do not care for mushrooms myself.

When berry picking, it's important to go with at least one other human friend, and keep an eye on each other. It's easy to drift apart when you are hunched over picking.

Mmmmm PB and blueberries!

Whoomp there it is! The first sign of fall.

These cranberries were nowhere near ready when the blueberries were. Cranberries (actually lingonberries) are better after the first frost.

Fireweed in transition.

They bloom from the bottom to the top. When the top blossom opens, we are four weeks from the first frost.

After they bloom, they go to fluffy seeds.

I found a new use for rhubarb: Rhubarb custard pie! It's super easy. I was surprised. I had thought that custard was a delicate thing, involving water baths and careful temperature control and so on, but the three cups of rhubarb contribute so much water that it stablizes the temperature and you get a perfect custard every time.