Field Notes: Mulberries make for a heavenly treat

Growing up, my best friend lived on an old farmstead across the road. Invisible to any passersby, its quarter-mile lane weaved through a woodlot, crossed a creek over an old concrete bridge and led to the array of century-old outbuildings and house. He lived in heaven! There was a pond complete with sunfish and a snapping turtle, a pasture with several cows roaming around and a two-story hay barn with abandoned grain rooms. There was plenty of jumping in mounds of straw, building forts with bales and the ill-advised corncob fights, which usually ended with someone's black eye. One of my favorite attractions was the abandoned glazed brick milk house. That still-sturdy structure had a 3-feet-deep, spring-fed concrete trough in which milk cans were once placed to keep them cool. No longer used for that purpose, it had become the site where we stored minnows and looked for salamanders and snakes. Growing just outside its broken-hinged plank door was a very special tree that had pushed its way through a stone walkway and was now as big around as we were. We called it our blackberry tree. Of course, it wasn't a blackberry tree at all — we knew it was really a mulberry. We just liked the name better. The blackish-red berries were tasty as long as you made sure they were ripe and, as a bonus, there were no scratched hands that came when gathering the real thing. I'll admit that I don't think they're nearly as tasty as any of the genuine raspberry varieties, but it was the novelty of climbing and eating during the same playtime that drew us in. Today, while living in my own century-old home, those friendly mulberry trees are dotted along the field edges. Of the two common types found around Ohio, my childhood's blackberry tree and those mulberries around our house are of the red mulberry variety. Native throughout the eastern United States, the ripe fruit will be black or dark red when ripe. Those fruit are also abundant and if left undisturbed could actually begin to weigh on the trees' branches ... but that's not likely to ever happen. Even without me retrieving a few to freshen old memories, there's plenty of competition for the berry harvest. I recently walked outside for a morning stroll, and it appeared someone had hung oversized furry Christmas ornaments in one of the trees. Scattered from top to bottom, two families of raccoons numbering more than 12 were doing their acrobatic best as they gorged themselves. The two mulberry trees that flank my oriole feeder are teeming with cedar waxwings, orchard and Baltimore orioles, catbirds and robins. Even red-headed and red-bellied woodpeckers will take their bouncing flight over to see what the excitement is all about. Apparently, the raccoons have yet to discover these trees. All this will end soon, as their production ceases for another year. The other mulberry tree growing in Ohio is the white mulberry, a species native to China that has since escaped into the landscape. Both the red and white mulberry trees are often reseeded into field edges, next to buildings and around shrubbery — anyplace a bird might deposit undigested seeds. This can be a little frustrating, so keep the trimmers handy. I'll take that little inconvenience for the fun of watching as the trees provide such a tremendous feeding opportunity for songbirds. We know the birds like them, but was I wise to be eating this fruit? According to Healthline.com, they're a good source of iron, vitamin C and several other plant compounds, and the berries have been linked to lowering cholesterol, reducing blood sugar and cancer risks. Mulberry allergies are rare, but people sensitive to birch pollen may experience reactions. As for recipe ideas, there are jams, pies, muffins, cakes, lemonade, mojitos (a nice twist on a classic drink) and a lot of others. One of my old favorites from the milk-house mulberry was homemade, hand-cranked mulberry/peach ice cream. If you'd like to experiment a little, visit https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/mulberry-recipes "It is difficult to realize how great a part of all that is cheerful and delightful in the recollections of our own life is associated with trees." – Wilson Flagg Along the way Indian Lake, located in Logan County, has long been a destination for anglers and recreational boaters. Built in the 1850s, it's fed by the Great Miami River, Cherokee Mans Run, Blackhawk Creek and Van Horn Creek. At 5,104 surface acres, it is the second largest inland lake in the state. The area's rich history included an amusement park located at Russell's Point, which was advertised as the "Midwest's Million Dollar Playground." Named the Sandy Beach Amusement Park, it opened on May 29, 1924, and was promoted as the "Atlantic City of the West." Highlights included a 2,000-foot roller coaster, penny arcade, carousel, millrace ride, Ferris wheel, fun house, boat tours and rides, a boardwalk to Sandy Beach Island, a dance hall and two bandstands. Eventually, changing times and competition from similar parks caused its closure. In 1949, the Department of Conservation gave way to the current Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), and Indian Lake became a state park under the mantle of the newly created Division of Parks and Recreation. Indian Lake remains a popular destination. Activities include camping, fishing, boating, water skiing, picnicking, hiking, swimming, waterfowl hunting, a dog park, disc golf and reservable shelter houses. There are also plenty of winter activities that are permitted on the lake. This year has seen an unprecedented growth of aquatic plants in Indian Lake, causing quite an inconvenience to powerboaters. ODNR has seven dedicated aquatic vegetation harvesters running across the lake, and aquatic herbicides are being used to manage the overgrowth. This has required additional staff to increase the operation's efficiency. According to ODNR, during the period between June 27 and July 1, harvesters removed 5,535 cubic yards of vegetation outside of South Bank, Pew Island and Old Field Beach and dredging removed 2,685 cubic yards of sediment from the nature preserve area. The seven aquatic harvesters will continue moving around the lake in their efforts to remove the submerged plants. ODNR is working with Aqua Doc, a lake and pond management company, to determine the current vegetation community, analyze the effectiveness of current methods for vegetation control and develop a Lake Vegetation Management Plan to address maintaining water quality and recreational use of the system. Step outside • Tomorrow: 75-bird trap shoot, practice opens 11:30 a.m., program begins 12:30 p.m. UCOA, 6943 Township Road 243. Public welcome. Contact Sandy Thomas by emailing sandthm@aol.com • Monday: No Child Left Indoors sponsored by Hancock and Hardin County's Pheasants Forever Chapters. There will be an archery trailer, air rifles, trap shooting, kayaking and honey bees. 5:30-8 p.m., Broken Bird Gun Club, Township Road 186, Forest (Hancock County). Ages for participation: 7-17; must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The event is free and all equipment and food will be provided. To register, email president@hardincountypf.org with the child's name, address, a good phone number, return email and birth date. • Thursday and Friday: Trap and skeet; open to the public; 5 p.m. UCOA, 6943 Township Road 243. • July 24: 3D archery match: 3D shoot mixed animal targets. Field and Stream Bowhunters, 11400 Township Road 109. Registration opens at 8 a.m. Public welcome. Contact Harold Spence, 419-423-9861. The club will not be charging shooters an entry fee for this match as a thank you for supporting Field and Stream and to help you keep a little gas money in your pocket. • July 28-30: National Convention of the National Trappers Association — hosted by Ohio's own State Trappers Association. Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH. Over 100 vendors and displays, both men and women led demonstrations and the national awards banquet. General admission, $10 for one day, $20 for a three-day pass. 12 and under enter free. The July 28th banquet admission is $35 per person, $400 for a table for eight. Banquet tickets are limited. Contact 812-277-9670. Visit www.nationaltrappers.com/convention.html • July 31: Last day for the Ohio Controlled Hunt Application Period, which opened on July 1. Hunts are held on select areas around Ohio and are available through the Division of Wildlife and the Division of Parks and Watercraft. Find hunt and rules information at wildohio.gov on the "controlled hunts" page. Abrams is a retired wildlife officer supervisor for the state Division of Wildlife in Findlay. He can be reached at P.O. Box 413, Mount Blanchard, OH 45867-0413 or via email at jimsfieldnotes@aol.com