As I finish out my first year in North Idaho, I was able to cross another seasonal tradition off my list of new experiences over the weekend: huckleberry picking.

Not only had I never foraged for them, but I had also never eaten one. Sure, I’ve had huckleberry-flavored gelato from the shop on Sherman Avenue, but before this weekend, I probably would not have been able to pick one out of a lineup of berries.

Huckleberries seemed elusive to me — they’re not typically seen in grocery stores, and people understandably tend to keep their foraging locations close to the chest.

When we headed out Sunday morning, I assumed it would take some searching to find a place to pick. But as we drove along a dirt road somewhere northeast of Coeur d’Alene, it didn’t take long before my boyfriend (a North Idaho native) was spotting bushes full of berries right along the road.

Admittedly, it took a moment before I could tell what he was pointing out — for some reason, I was picturing huckleberries as resembling blackberries. But soon enough, I noticed the much smaller, darkly colored berries that stood out against the lighter leaves of the huckleberry bushes.

We pulled over and got to picking. The first few, of course, were for taste testing purposes; I can now safely say that huckleberries are one of the most vibrant-tasting fruits I’ve ever had. They perfectly straddle the boundary between sweet and tart.

For the next few hours, we picked huckleberries one by one as we moved slowly up the ridge. Huckleberry picking, as it turned out, is a labor of love — they’re smaller than blueberries and grow individually, rather than in clusters. There’s a lot of crouching and kneeling involved, as the bushes aren’t particularly tall.

We walked away with about half a quart-sized bag each, leaving countless bushes untouched for area wildlife or other foragers to have a turn at.

How often do we enjoy food that we grew or foraged ourselves? For most of us, including myself, this was a rare treat, something I’ll do once more before huckleberry season passes if I’m lucky.

But there is something special about enjoying food straight from the Earth, and we’re fortunate to live somewhere that nature’s bounty still makes this possible.