A Grower Perspective

Even though I work in the office, I try to get out into the nursery at least once a day, and I'm always glad I did because I find something exciting. Today that exciting thing was the Oregon Grape, Mahonia aquifolium. The berries are ready to be harvested! This is good news for me because it means that I will be making Oregon Grape Jelly soon. Oregon Grape, the state flower of Oregon is a native plant that is useful and beautiful in the landscape. It grows freely in sun to deep shade and tolerates all types of soil. In the early spring, it blooms with bright yellow flowers that contrast nicely with the deep purple leaves. It will grow to 6 feet tall to about 5 feet wide. The berries are ready to be harvested in the summer when they turn a nice deep blue.

Back to the grape jelly. Lucky for me,

I have Nancy's Mom's recipe for Oregon Grape Jelly. You can see the original in the photo. Here's how to make Oregon Grape Jelly.

Lucille Connolly’s Oregon Grape Jelly

1 cup water

1 quart berries

¾ cup sugar to 1 cup juice –or- 2 cups sugar to 3 cups juice

Cook Oregon Grape berries with a little water over medium-low heat until they release all their juices. Pour the berries into a strainer lined with cheesecloth over a clean bowl. Drain the berries, squeezing gently to release all the juice. Measure the juice. (How much juice you get will depend on how juicy the berries are.) Using the proportions above, combine the juice and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the mixture reaches 220 degrees on a jelly thermometer. (The mixture will form a thin sheet on a spoon when it is ready) Put the jelly into sterilized, hot jelly jars and cool slightly before refrigerating. Unless you are going to can the jelly in a boiling water bath, keep the jelly refrigerated.

So there you have it! Get out there and find some Oregon Grape along the roadside or in your back yard and pick some berries!. If you try the recipe, let us know!