Suburban Homesteading – Frugal Living

Peaches and plums and berries, oh my!

Its summertime and that means one major thing around here…cobbler. From the first bloom of spring right up to harvest time we dream of desserts made with our favorite fruits.

Every house I’ve ever live in has had a berry patch. Not a large mind you, but enough canes to produce enough fruit for summer desserts and extra for canning and freezing so we can enjoy the fresh taste of summer all winter long. They are perfect for the suburban homestead where space may be at a premium. They can be grown on fences, trellises or arbors, making them perfect for a vertical garden because they leave valuable ground for root crops or non-trailing vegetables.

My current berry patch abuts a perimeter fence. It is just 3-foot wide by 30-foot long and has blackberries, raspberries and boysenberries that I train to grow on a 54-inch tall cattle panel. The canes are managed and pruned so we don’t have them rooting all over the place. As they start to push out new growth in the spring I fill one gallon nursery pots with rich compost and nestle the budding new growth down into the soil to root, starting a new batch of canes.

Over the years I’ve helped friends and family start their own berry patches with cuttings from my own. Berry canes are easy to root, grow in many different soil types and best of all…grow like weeds once they get started. It’s one of the best plants for new gardeners, and a favorite of well-seasoned homesteaders.

And, let’s not forget those plump, juicy, flavorful berries that explode in your mouth with a burst of flavor, or make a thick decadent jam, luscious pie or frozen little gems waiting to be blended up into a refreshing smoothie.

But…I have to admit there’s nothing better than a warm fresh berry cobbler warm from the oven. Well—unless it’s a berry cobbler with a big glob of creamy vanilla ice-cream on top. That’s a double yum.

There’s a lot of debate about fruit cobblers and what constitutes a “real” cobbler. There are cobblers topped with fluffy biscuits, some with cake-like toppings and others with a light batter pored over, creating a cobbled effect when it bakes. But, around here cobbler means one thing and one thing only, sweet seasonal fruit encased in a crumbly oatmeal brown sugar topping.

Blackberry Cobbler with Oatmeal Topping

INGREDIENTS

FILLING:

3 cups blackberries

2/3 cup sugar (depending on the sweetness of the fruit)

1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

TOPPING:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup butter, melted

1 cup rolled oats

¼ Tsp. ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS for Filling:  Put all ingredients into a large saucepan and slowly bring to a boil until the sugar dissolves.

DIRECTIONS for Topping:  Put all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Pour melted butter over and mix with a fork until it is crumbly.

Heat oven to 375. Pour berry mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish. Cover with oatmeal topping. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until bubbly. Serve at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

TIP:  My family likes this topping so much that I make a double batch. I put a layer on the bottom and one on the top for an extra crispy yum.