We had a very dry winter and a very dry summer, which is leading to a very dry fall. After a full day of picking berries yesterday, I'm beginning to realize that there are not nearly as many as there usually are. Our berries require moist wet swampy tundra to grow. This year, our tundra is dry- barely surviving. And the berry plants are growing, but not producing the buds needed to produce fruit. So we walk over many patches that we've picked from each year, and barely accumulate one or two berries. It's a shame, but it's mother nature. She obviously knows the world goes in cycles. She won't kill our berries- but she certainly made them struggle this year. I'm hoping she decides a rainy season is in order for next summer- as the berries could sure use some extra help getting back on track.
