Picking the Currants
Berry picking season continues and we’re picking lots of delicious summer fruits here at my Bedford, New York farm.
Over the last couple of weeks, my housekeepers have been busy picking lots of raspberries. They’ve also harvested boxes of currants - those bright red, white, pink, and black juicy, sour fruits packed with antioxidants, minerals, and loads of vitamin-C. I’ve been growing currants for many years. I love using them to make jams and jellies, tarts, and pies. They're also very easy to freeze for later use.
Enjoy these photos.
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- Here at my farm, the currant and gooseberry bushes are located in a field behind my main greenhouse not far from the raspberry bushes.
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- Currants grow best in full sun to partial shade.
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- Some of you may recall I moved these berry bushes to this location a couple of years ago. Here they are last summer. This area has much more room for them to grow and flourish.
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- I grow black, white, pink, and red currants.
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- The red currants can range from deep red to pink to almost yellow in color.
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- The fruits need to be picked quickly before they drop to the ground, or get snatched up by the birds. These bushes are very dependable and vigorous as growers.
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- The fruits grow in clusters called racemes and are very easy to pick. The best time to harvest red currants is when the fruits are firm and juicy.
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- The varieties of red currants that I grow include ‘Redstart’ and ‘Jonkheer Van Tets’ – both produce very bright, red fruits.
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- Black currant, Ribes nigrum, is a woody shrub grown for its piquant berries. You can’t miss them in the garden – they are very aromatic. When ripe, black currants are dark purple in color, with glossy skins.
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- The best time to pick black currants is when they are dry and ripe. The varieties of black currants in my garden include ‘Ben Sarek’ and ‘Ben Lomond.’
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- Black currants are the most nutrient-rich of the currants. They are high in vitamins A, C, B1, B5, B6, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. They are also high in minerals, such as iron, copper, calcium, and phosphorous. They can be eaten raw, but are usually cooked in a variety of sweet and savory dishes.
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- Here are some of the clustered white currants. White currants are sweet and tart with floral undertones. Although the fruits are the primary source of food from the plant, the leaves, and tender, young shoots are also edible. These white currants add flavor and texture to sauces, liquors, jams, jellies, and syrups.
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- White currants, ‘Blanka’, are a sub-cultivar of the red currant. White currant berries are translucent with warm white tones and slight pink blush color.
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- These ‘Pink Champagne’ currants are pendant clusters of fruits the color of champagne blushed with pink. These currants are less tart than the red and among the sweetest of all currants.
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- Although they may be eaten ripe off the shrub, pink currants are more often harvested for use in jams, jellies, and pies.
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- Right now, there are lots of pink currants to pick. Currants are still largely unknown here in the United States. They are well-loved in many other countries, and here in the US, they are slowly gaining popularity, especially because of its high antioxidant content. They are now more prevalent at local farms and home gardens.
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- Here is Enma with boxes of gorgeous pink currants and more sweet raspberries. When picking, be ready to get your hands a bit “dirty”.
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- Once picked, the berries are taken to the flower room, spread out in single layers on baking sheets, and then placed into the freezer. I like to place currants in single layers, on trays, so they don’t get crushed.
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- Notice, these currants still have their stems. They are much easier to remove after the fruits are frozen – to prevent crushing.
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- Once frozen, Enma pulls the fruits off the stems leaving all the pink currants intact.
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- And then places them on a separate tray.
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- Once all the fruits are removed from the stems, they are placed in reusable plastic containers – this one is quart-sized. Save all those take-out soup containers for storing other foods later – it is a great way to repurpose and reuse plastic.
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- The quart-sized containers of berries are dated and then placed back into the freezer for later use. How do you like to use currants? Share your comments with me in the section below.
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