Ruth Nakamura · April 9, 2026
I was standing on my back deck one afternoon in late July, staring at the stain that had darkened to almost black in the summer heat, when I realized the smell — that acrid, sun-baked varnish smell — had soaked into the wood so thoroughly it was coming back up through the boards. That same … Read more
Ruth Nakamura · April 8, 2026
Hello! I’m Ruth Nakamura, and I’ve been a backyard orchardist in the beautiful Pacific Northwest for about 15 years now. Over the years, I’ve grown a delightful variety of mulberries—12 cultivars to be exact—including Black Beauty, Chinook, Illini Star, and Ozark Premier. Each variety brings its own unique flavor and character, which makes my little … Read more
Ruth Nakamura · April 6, 2026
During my opening years managing mulberry trees on this property, I made just about every rookie mistake possible: I’d let whole branches worth of ripe fruit drop and rot untouched, the deck took on permanent dark stains I’m still trying to scrub away, and the ground beneath my Pakistan variety was basically a mulberry compost … Read more
Ruth Nakamura · April 4, 2026
Forty-one pounds. That’s what my Illinois Everbearing dropped on me across nine days last June, and it’s the number that finally pushed me from “maybe I’ll try a batch someday” into buying real equipment instead of improvising with a bucket and a balloon. Mulberries ferment fast and hard — the sugar content and the sheer … Read more
Ruth Nakamura · April 2, 2026
On my patio right now sits a wine bottle with a label dated three summers ago—the glass still shows the faint purple stain where I set it down after bottling, a ghost-mark of the work that went into it. That bottle is proof of what happens when you take the mountain of mulberries dropping from … Read more
Ruth Nakamura · March 31, 2026
Hello there! I’m Ruth Nakamura, your friendly neighborhood backyard orchardist, and I’ve spent the last 15 years growing mulberries right here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I’ve experimented with a dozen different cultivars, including Black Beauty, Chinook, Illini Star, and Ozark Premier, learning through trial and error what works best in our unique climate. One … Read more
Ruth Nakamura · March 29, 2026
Medical disclaimer: I am a backyard grower, not a physician or registered dietitian. The information on this page is based on published research and personal experience, but it is not medical advice. If you are managing diabetes, heart disease, pregnancy, or any health condition, consult your healthcare provider before using mulberry products as part of … Read more
Ruth Nakamura · March 27, 2026
Medical disclaimer: I am a backyard grower, not a physician or registered dietitian. The information on this page is based on published research and personal experience, but it is not medical advice. If you are managing diabetes, heart disease, pregnancy, or any health condition, consult your healthcare provider before using mulberry products as part of … Read more
Ruth Nakamura · March 25, 2026
I stumbled into my mulberry obsession after biting into fruit from an old tree on a neighbor’s property during a walk—nothing I’d encountered before tasted quite like it. Within six months, a young tree was planted in my yard with almost no forward-thinking strategy to back it up. Every discovery since has come through trial, … Read more
Ruth Nakamura · March 23, 2026
Medical disclaimer: I am a backyard grower, not a physician or registered dietitian. The information on this page is based on published research and personal experience, but it is not medical advice. If you are managing diabetes, heart disease, pregnancy, or any health condition, consult your healthcare provider before using mulberry products as part of … Read more
