The Hunt for Orange Cloudberry

[Martti]

As a continuation for my previous report Vising the Reindeer Country, I am currently staying at the same cabin in Northern Finland. My main purpose is to gather cloudberries for the winter, but also continue testing the same equipment I used in the same location last winter. During the week the temperatures have been around 15-20 degrees centigrade during the day and around 8-12 degrees during the night.

1. Finnish lakeland on the way to Northern Finland, taken around 9 p.m.

2. Your typical dirt road in Northern Finland.

3. Another typical road type.

4. Trap for a pine marten.

5. Open mire.

6. This one is yet to ripen.

 

[bopdude]

Great pictures, you temps are about the same as mine at the moment ( North East UK ) that's where the similarities stop, you would have to look hard here to find anything a patch on your scenery ................ location envy, again

Thanks for sharing.

 

[cranmere]

The thing I remember vividly about picking cloudberries was that they grow in the places with the most mosquitoes.

 

[Harvestman]

I have only eaten cloudberries once, when we had a Finnish guest to stay. They were nice, if a little crunchier than expected.

 

[Martti]

The thing I remember vividly about picking cloudberries was that they grow in the places with the most mosquitoes.

I wouldn't be exaggerating if I say that there are usually two dozen of mosquitoes, gnats and flies around you at the same time. Then again, if you find a good spot, the berries almost collect themselves.

 

[Palaeocory]

I always thought they might be like salmon berries, but they look much different on the bush! Really interesting Gorgeous landscape, makes me homesick for Canada.

 

[Martti]

Field of rocks.

Abandoned house.

 

[cranmere]

A Sami woman showed me the local variety of bog myrtle which worked surprisingly well as an insect repellent.

 

[Martti]

A Sami woman showed me the local variety of bog myrtle which worked surprisingly well as an insect repellent.

Not bog myrtle (Myrica gale), which grows only in the Finnish coast, but probably Northern Labrador tea (Rhododendron tomentosum). Study linked below argues that the plant protects its neighbouring birch trees from larvae up to five meters away.

Birch (Betula spp.) leaves adsorb and re-release volatiles specific to neighbouring plants – a mechanism for associational herbivore resistance?

 

[Martti]

Quiet little river next to the cabin.

Spruce needle rust (Chrysomyxa ledi) coloured many of the spruce I saw in yellow.

Kind of a "tree hydra".

 

[Martti]

Another type of mire (called "neva") where one can really go for a swim, if not careful.

It's safe here!

Local inhabitants.