Berries 101

The pinkish, seemingly pentagonal protrusion you see before you is indeed the infamous salmon berry. Its name is derived from the commonality of appearance it shares with that of a salmon egg coupled with its berry-like goodness.

The salmon berry is just one of the berries that one might discover on a walk, in any direction, out on the tundra. Berries can be found for miles around, are usually collected by the gallons, and stored for use in the winter when food becomes increasingly scarce. Berries are a key component to Agutak or Eskimo ice cream, which is comprised of some combination of berries and vegetable shortening. Though I recommend the experience, I do not believe the flavor is palatable enough to inspire Agutak-men anywhere other than the YK Delta.

Having only seen raspberries and starwberries grow and mature in bushes and vines, I was surprised to find that berries in the tundra seem to stand apart from one another as opposed to growing in bunches. This fact makes it simple to understand the tedium that is experienced when it comes time to harvest.

I had spent nearly an hour or so collecting berries and placing them in to a 1 gallon bucket, which I had borrowed from a fellow teacher. At the hour's end I found that my bucket was nearly empty. The energy required to continually bend down and pick up each individual berry demanded that I eat nearly all of the fruits of my labor. Needless to say, I am not anywhere near the top of the recruitment list.