Berry Picking

Berry picking used to be an essential part of food gathering for the long winters in Iceland. Berries were used for soups, porridge and jam, and provided Icelanders with vitamins in the absence of fruits and vegetables.

You can find five types of berries at the farm; blueberries, bilberries, crowberries, brambleberries and wild strawberries. Bilberries and crowberries are the most easy to find at the farm. The crowberries are especially big at the farm and they can be used to make jellies, juices and wine.

Making jam is vey easy: Pour berries into a casserole at medium heat. Stir regularly. Add sugar or other sweeteners. When it starts boiling, lower the heat and continue to stir regularly. Boil for one hour or more if you like, until the contents start to look like jam. Heat the oven to 150°C and put clean jars and lids into the oven and leave them there until the jam is ready in the pot. Once the jam is ready, pour it into the jars while both the jam and the jars are hot and screw the lids on tightly but carefully. Leave it to cool down. This is to prevent mildew. The jam will last you for some months. Once you’ve opened a jar, put it in the refrigerator.