Bumper crop of juniper berries – September 2015

We have a bumper crop of ripe juniper berries in our front yard this year. They are not really berries, but the female cones. Unlike other conifers, the juniper cones have fleshy scales that merge together, giving it a berry-like appearance.. I’ve eaten the berries off the bush, and I keep meaning to collect some of them to use as flavoring in cooking. Maybe this year I’ll finally get around to it.