GARDEN HUCKLEBERRIES ... THE FIRST SEASON FRUIT

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Then, about two weeks prior to my area's last projected frost date, I hardened off the young plants by moving them to the screened porch (I did bring the seedlings in if the overnight temperature was predicted to drop below 45°F, though). After the frost date had passed, I planted the berries in various locations around my garden (to determine whether any particular light or soil characteristics appealed to them) and gave my surplus plants to my mother-in-law.

I harvested only a fair crop that first year (although I did find out that the huckleberries prefer partial shade), but my mother-in-law—who set her plants in the rich soil adjacent to her chicken yard—had fruit to freeze, can, sell, and give away. So, come the following spring, I was careful to put all of my transplants in partial shade and to feed each new garden resident ... by working a shovelful of compost into its site be fore planting. And the extra care made a real difference. In fact, I couldn't pick the berries fast enough!

THE NOT-TOO-SWEET REWARDS'

Garden huckleberries look ripe when they turn black and shiny (in fact, that's when I picked most of my first year's crop), but I soon discovered that the flavor is better after that gloss fades and the little fruits begin to soften. (Don't expect these unusual edibles to be as sweet as any "real" berry when eaten raw ... in fact, many folks actually can't stand them fresh off the plant, but a real culinary miracle occurs when you cook and sweeten garden huckleberries!)

To prepare the fruits for use in most recipes, it's necessary to subject them to heat (to soften them) and to add about 1-1/4 cups of sugar for every four cups of raw berries. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Sweetness is, of course, a matter of personal taste ... and we also suspect that it would be quite easy to substitute a lessprocessed product for the white sugar called for in Ms. Farris's recipes.] If I'm making a pie, for instance, I first simmer four cups of berries, with just enough water to prevent scorching, for 20 minutes. Then I add the sugar and four tablespoons of cornstarch or tapioca ... stir the filling till it thickens ... remove it from the heat to cool ... pour it into a shell ... and cover it with a top crust. I put the pie in a 425°F oven for 10 minutes ... then reduce the heat to 350°F and continue baking for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is browned. The cooked and sweetened fruit is also delicious in pancakes, muffins, and such.

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