We recently planted our saskatoon berry trees. I am sure those of you who live in Saskatchewan know exactly what I am talking about. For the 99.99999% of Internet readers who have never even heard of Saskatchewan, let alone of saskatoon berries, allow me to explain.
Saskatoon is the name of one of the two big cities in Saskatchewan. In this case, "big" is a relative word. But Saskatoon is big enough to have a food named after it, which puts it in the same league as Hamburg (hamburgers), France (French fries) and Iceland (ice).
Saskatchewan is a small Canadian province. Small in that its population can comfortably fit onto the deck of a luxury cruise liner ... except who would want to do that in the middle of the bone-dry Canadian prairies? In land area, Saskatchewan is actually almost as big as Texas, although most of their hats are well short of ten-gallons.
That leaves plenty of room for trees to grow. But Saskatchewan is not known for trees. It is known for its prairies. In fact, there are jokes about Saskatchewan and trees.
"How many people does it take to plant a tree in Saskatchewan?" "Are you kidding? Even God couldn't do that?"
"What do you call a tree in Saskatchewan?" "Wishful thinking."
"If you run off the road in northern Saskatchewan, would you hit a tree?" "No, the tree is in the south."
Which brings us to the saskatoon berry trees we just planted. Apparently, trees DO grow in Saskatchewan. Well, almost. I read the seed package. "Grows three to 12 feet high." A three-foot tall tree? Can you really call that a tree? What if I mow right over it?
So before even planting them, the saskatoon berry trees were proving to be an adventure. We were planting seeds for a tree too small to be a tree from a place that supposedly does not grow trees. But adventure is fun.
The package instructions said to plant the seeds while it is still cold outside - when your fingers can become good and numb. We put on our parkas and rounded up our dogsleds and stepped out from our igloo. OK, it was not quite that cold.
The instructions said to plant the seeds about the depth of one-to-two times the length of the seed. I measured the seed. Actually, the seed was too small to measure. Just a touch larger than a celery seed. The package must have erred. According to my measurements, I would burry the seeds with even a couple grains of sand on top.
I did my best.
Little Lady, our always-eager-to-be-helpful toddler, placed the markers to remind us where we planted the seeds. We used short sticks with plastic glow-in-the-dark stars on top. These were, in fact, made for sticking in the snow to line the driveway at Christmastime, but they seemed fitting markers for such bizarre plants.
The phone rang that evening. "Did you plant something really strange today?" our neighbor asked. "You have stars on sticks poking out of the ground. And they are glowing in the dark. Did you buy the seeds near the nuclear power plant?"
We explained that the glow-in-the dark sticks were just to mark where we planted our saskatoon berry trees. "Ooh, what do saskatoon berries taste like?" She asked. I had no idea. I had tasted them in jam many years ago on a business trip to Saskatchewan, but I do not even remember if I liked them. The seeds were actually a gift from a friend.
But life is an adventure, and three years from now I can tell you what the berries taste like. Can't you just taste a good adventure?
About The Author
David Leonhardt is the Happy Guy, author of "Climb your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness". Sign up for your free "Daily Dose of Happiness" at http://TheHappyGuy.com/daily-happiness-free-ezine.html, or visit him at http://TheHappyGuy.com.
We recently planted our saskatoon berry trees. I am sure... Read More
On Lake Michigan, at the end of the Stonington Peninsula,... Read More
Costa Rica is a small country - just 75 mi/120... Read More
Inflatable fishing boats are great yacht tenders/camping boats that are... Read More
The Kuan Yin Shrine in Bangkok is in an old... Read More
The owner can attempt small inflatable boat repair if factory-gluing... Read More
In a previous article, I wrote primarily about box ovens.... Read More
Bryce Whitmore designed the modern whitewater inflatable pontoon boat, and... Read More
Mount Kenya is Africa's second highest mountain, after Kilimanjaro. It... Read More
I stood at the observation point on the balcony at... Read More
Holidays in India, awesome in her size and diversity. This... Read More
Ultralight backpackers want to give up weight, not comfort. Sleeping... Read More
Nightlife in Big Sky, Montana is more exciting than you... Read More
With so many different designs, packing a backpack will vary... Read More
Block Island is a seaside jewel lying 12 miles off... Read More
The most famous Egyptian pyramids to be built are the... Read More
Dude Ranches first gained popularity in the 1920s, in large... Read More
Mt. Washington Valley Trails & Mt Washington - NHThe highest... Read More
Sharklife.co.za has been fighting an ongoing for the protection of... Read More
I stood at the observation point on the balcony at... Read More
Knowing a few edible wild plants can make your next... Read More
You CAN grab something to eat, enjoy every bite, AND... Read More
"The good news is that there is no reason to... Read More
Truly a small wonder, the eTrex takes the best features... Read More
My favorite outdoor related quote comes from John Muir, the... Read More
When you search online for a camping gear outlet you... Read More
Mount Rainier National Park is the most popular park in... Read More
Organized river rafting trips are a good idea for novices... Read More
The first recorded mapping of what is now Koombana Bay... Read More
TENT CAREYou should seal all floor seams and those seams... Read More
We think that Cape Town has some of the best... Read More
Santa Cruz Church, the church of the holy cross, was... Read More
There are many manufacturers of inflatable boats on the market... Read More
Prevention is your best protection against lightning. Be sure to... Read More
New experiences make me nervous, and I assume that holds... Read More
How to get the most out of your trekking poles... Read More
The sport of river rafting was practically invented in Colorado.... Read More
My favorite outdoor related quote comes from John Muir, the... Read More
Mt. Washington Valley Trails & Mt Washington - NHThe highest... Read More
Dude Ranches first gained popularity in the 1920s, in large... Read More
The kind of things you pack when you go on... Read More
Visitors to Hawaii frequently see dolphins from shore or on... Read More
The first recorded mapping of what is now Koombana Bay... Read More
Sun, Sand and Surf ? an apt description for Goa?... Read More
The Udzungwa Mountains National park was created primarily for the... Read More
Camping is a delightful and adventurous way to spend your... Read More
Mount Rainier National Park is the most popular park in... Read More
Stay warm or die. That's what it comes down to... Read More
Simply sitting and watching birds is a popular hobby around... Read More
Santa Cruz Church, the church of the holy cross, was... Read More
If you're looking to spot a whale, the first few... Read More
Spring:Essential items when preparing for a walk-Compass-First aid kit -... Read More
Camping mixed with outdoor activity is a great way to... Read More
Mystic Seaport celebrates the seafaring past of New England. Known... Read More
We think that Cape Town has some of the best... Read More
"The good news is that there is no reason to... Read More
An African honeymoon safari is the perfect way to celebrate... Read More
Last week in Australia, one man's day at beach could... Read More
Some people have fought many years of their lives to... Read More
River rafting is a major attraction in California. The most... Read More
Camping is an excellent way to explore and experience the... Read More
Organized river rafting trips are a good idea for novices... Read More
A rigid inflatable boat is defined as a hard-hulled boat... Read More
I've been traveling and writing about places I believe others... Read More
If you are on a tight budget and can't afford... Read More
We weren't planning to go rock and arrowhead hunting in... Read More
Outdoors |