Cool off from the July heat with juicy raspberries and blackberries. Blackberries and raspberries are favorite perennial fruits. When selecting a blackberry, consider the newer primocane cultivars, which are hardier in Iowa weather.
There are several types of raspberries that grow well in Iowa, including red, yellow, purple and black. Different cultivars of raspberries can be harvested in summer or fall. Learn more about planting and maintaining blackberry and raspberries shrubs in the latest video from ISU Extension and Outreach.
Berries may be small but they are a nutritional powerhouse. Berries are:
- A great source of antioxidants, which help protect your cells from damage. Antioxidants help lower inflammation and reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.
- High in fiber, with one cup providing about 3.5 grams of fiber. Consuming foods high in fiber helps provide the feeling of fullness, lower cholesterol levels and promote gut health.
- Packed with nutrients. They are good sources of vitamin C, folate, vitamin K and manganese.
- Beneficial for brain health. The antioxidants in berries help protect brain cells from damage and improve brain function.
Make sure to follow safe food practices with your fresh berries. Wash your hands before and after berry picking. Once the berries are picked, keep them cool. If you’re picking them at a farm that is two hours or more from your home, be sure to take a cooler with ice packs for the berries. Once home, refrigerate the berries until you’re ready to use them. Do not wash berries until you are ready to serve them. Wash berries thoroughly using cool, running water. You can preserve that fresh berry flavor for year-long enjoyment by freezing the berries or making jams and jellies. An overview of jam making can be found in this video on jam making.
For those interested in learning more about gardening, contact your ISU Extension and Outreach county office for information about the Master Gardener program. Training begins across the state this fall.
The Sow, Grow, Eat and Keep quickinars are 5-15 minute online lessons of seasonally appropriate topics for the garden, food preparation, and food preservation. Some of the upcoming topics include:
- Salsa Making.
Punguza joto la Julai kwa kula raspberries na blackberries zenye maji mengi. Matunda ya kudumu yanayopendwa sana ni matunda ya blackberry na raspberry. Unapochagua blackberry, fikiria aina mpya za primocane, ambazo ni zenye nguvu zaidi katika hali ya hewa ya Iowa. Kuna aina kadhaa za raspberries ambazo hukua vizuri katika Iowa, ikiwa ni pamoja na nyekundu, manjano, zambarau na nyeusi. Aina mbalimbali za raspberries zinaweza kuvunwa wakati wa kiangazi au vuli. Kujifunza zaidi kuhusu kupanda na kudumisha blackberry na raspberry shrub katika video ya hivi karibuni kutoka ISU Extension na Outreach. Huenda matunda hayo yakawa madogo lakini yana virutubisho vingi. Berries ni: - Chanzo kikubwa cha antioxidants, ambayo kusaidia kulinda seli yako kutoka uharibifu. Antioxidants husaidia kupunguza uvimbe na kupunguza hatari ya ugonjwa wa moyo na aina fulani za kansa. - Fiber nyingi, kikombe kimoja kinatoa gramu 3.5 za nyuzi. Kula vyakula vyenye nyuzi nyingi husaidia kutoa hisia ya ukamilifu, kupunguza viwango vya kolesteroli na kukuza afya ya matumbo. - Imejaa virutubisho. Ni chanzo kizuri cha vitamini C, folate, vitamini K na manganese. - Ni manufaa kwa afya ya ubongo. Vitu vinavyopatikana katika matunda hayo husaidia kulinda chembe za ubongo zisiharibike na kuboresha utendaji wa ubongo. Hakikisha unafuata mazoea salama ya kula matunda yako mapya. Osha mikono yako kabla na baada ya kukusanya matunda. Mara tu matunda hayo yanapokusanywa, yahifadhiwe yakiwa baridi. Ikiwa unavuna matunda hayo katika shamba lililo umbali wa saa mbili au zaidi kutoka nyumbani kwako, hakikisha unabeba chombo cha baridi chenye barafu. Unapokuwa nyumbani, weka matunda hayo kwenye friji hadi uwe tayari kuyaitumia. Usisue matunda hadi uwe tayari kuyaandaa. Osha matunda hayo kwa uangalifu kwa kutumia maji baridi na yenye mtiririko. Unaweza kuhifadhi ladha hiyo ya matunda safi kwa mwaka mzima kwa kuyafunga au kutayarisha jamu na jelly. Mtazamo wa jumla wa utengenezaji wa jamu unaweza kupatikana katika video hii juu ya utengenezaji wa jamu. Kwa wale ambao wanataka kujifunza zaidi juu ya kazi ya bustani, wasiliana na ofisi ya ISU Extension na Outreach County kwa habari kuhusu programu ya Master Gardener. Mafunzo huanza katika jimbo lote vuli hii. "Soma, Kukua, Kula na Kuhifadhi: Masomo ya 5-15 ya mtandaoni ya mada zinazofaa kwa majira ya bustani, utayarishaji wa chakula, na uhifadhi wa chakula.""" Baadhi ya mada zinazokuja ni pamoja na: - Salsa Kufanya.