We went berry picking!
By foxyfire33
@foxyfire33 (10005)
United States
August 19, 2008 4:51pm CST
We have an awesome patch of black berries on the side hill so we wandered up and picked a big bowl full. We didn't even get to a 1/4 of the bushes. There are still tons of ripe ones and even more red ones that will be ready soon.
The downside was that it was really buggy and there is a nice briar patch mixed in with the berry bushes. So we're a little bit up and scratched up but it was so worth it to have fresh berries to snack on. We'll definitely throw on long sleeved shirts next time we go picking.
So for all you "country folk" LOL what do you have growing wild on your property? Does anybody purposely grow anything normally found in "the wild". Next year I want to put in a strawberry patch too so we should have lots of berries.
3 people like this
16 responses
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
19 Aug 08
We had a lovely crop of strawberries this year, we obviously had the right mixture of sun and rain! Mum grows them and puts straw under them and we kept picking them! I never get fed up with strawberries. Now it's the blackberry season and like strawberries I will go out especially and pick them! Tasty and very very good for you to, all those vitamins. It's great being able to pick organic fruit that you know hasn't been tampered with or had chemicals sprayed over them. But you do have to watch those thorns on the bushes, they are lethal, and I've come back with scratches many a time, it's like those bramble bushes don't want you to have their blackberries! Enjoy your berries!!!
3 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
19 Aug 08
I have red rasberries along side my house/garage. Photo attatched.
I like these as the thoprns are very tiny.
I don't worry about getting poked too badly with these.
This all started from 2 plants 3 years ago.
I've given a bunch of bushes away as well.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
20 Aug 08
It is nice to know exactly where the berries are from and what they weren't exposed to. I like strawberries a lot better but these black berries are quite tasty! S/o didn't get too many in the basket, most of the ones he picked went straight in his mouth!
Grandpa Bob..I'll definitely look into red raspberries! From the sounds of it, I'll have quite the berry patch next year between the transplanted black berries, strawberries and raspberries!
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
20 Aug 08
Apple-blackberry pie sounds really good! We've been just eating them fresh but I suppose I should start looking into recipes!
...we have plenty of weeds ourselves, I'm tempted to find out if some of them can also be used for eating.
@sweetdesign (5142)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Oh I am so envious I love blackberries! I wish we had some blackberry bushes. I want to put some in the backyard. My blueberry bushes are growing but no blooms yet.
1 person likes this
@sweetdesign (5142)
• United States
20 Aug 08
I am going to put some blackberry bushes in this patch in the backyard where there is two scraggly rose bushes.
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
20 Aug 08
If I could send them to you I would! We have tons of bushes in a few different spots. The smaller patches are alittle more contained because of the other buildings on the property but the big patch has plenty of room to grow. Blueberry bushes sound really good too......I might just have to give them a try!
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
19 Aug 08
We have a giant blackberry bush in the side yard. I have gotten a ton of berries off of it. I have used about a gallon size bag full and I have about 1/2 a gallon sized bag in the freezer. More on the bush too. We have a few lone black raspberries too, but not many.
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
20 Aug 08
I'm going out again tomorrow to pick some more to tuck away in the freezer. It seems like they produce more when they're all grouped together. The big patch has berries everywhere but the smaller patched and lone bushes don't seem to produce as many berries.
@mimico (3617)
• Philippines
20 Aug 08
Hello, I'm so envious of your lifestyle! I went strawberry picking a few years ago in a farm and it was really nice. Some insects tried to bite me and after the whole experience my hands became really sticky. But I had a lot of fun. Knowing that the strawberries were freshly picked made it twice as sweet. Ypu're really lucky to be able to grow your own fruits. In most cities we only have to depend on what's available in the market. SOme days I even badger my grocer to bring in blueberries and grapefruit for me!
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
20 Aug 08
We have 6 acres of land up here so there is plenty of room for growing a lot of different things. No one else has been interested in doing much of anything with the land but I will be able to when spring comes again. I have all winter to plan!
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
19 Aug 08
That sounds like fun.
I know there are some berries lurking here and there on this property. I think the strawberries have been overrun by the poison ivy patch though.
There are also some pears, peaches and apples growing on the property.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
20 Aug 08
We definitely don't have any fruit trees but I so wish we did. I would be fine with just apple trees. I wonder how many years it takes for them to mature enough to produce fruit?
I don't care how good the berries are...I would not brave a poison ivy patch either!
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
21 Aug 08
I would love to plant a couple of berry bushes. We used to pick berries, but the state has sprayed them the last couple of years and put warnings in the paper.
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
19 Aug 08
I have wild strawberries planted in my yard.
I also bought a few other strawberry plants to add to this area.
I got tons this year compared to last year.
I also grow mint in my back yard as well as
red rasberries that are found in the wild also.
Attatched is my strawberry "patch".
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB!!~
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
20 Aug 08
Mint is definitely going on my list of things to grow! Ok...so I'll have wild blackberries, red raspberries, strawberries, and mint. Plus a special spot for dandelions and hopefully I can find the right kind of sumac for a lemonde type drink.
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
20 Aug 08
LOL...nope, no move, ever. Long story but s/o's parents decided to sell this place for what we wanted to pay instead of their ridiculously high asking price so we are here for good and they are moving out!
I'm not real fond of blueberries myself but I might try growing them next year because the kids like them.WE don't have much trouble with big ant hills outside. Our mountain is really rocky (a stone quarry is a few properties over). I don't know if that's why we don't see big ant hills outside or not.
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
19 Aug 08
Hi foxy,
[i]I wish we are close to any wild berries like that...lol! ANyway, we are trying to grow raspberry here and we are still watering it this time!
wish it will really give us a lot of fruits![/i]
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
20 Aug 08
Good luck with your raspberries! I wish I could give advice but our bushes just grow where they grow without any help from us!
1 person likes this
@guss2000 (2232)
• United States
26 Aug 08
Earlier this summer I was going berry picking a few times a week. I haven't been back to do it in a while, but I should try to see if I can go and find some more berries since winter will be coming soon. We have a few bushes near our house, but down the road a bit there is this trail that has TONS of red rasberry patches.
I should go see if any are ready back there anymore and freeze them for the winter.
I"m glad I'm not the only one that likes to go berry picking :)
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
21 Aug 08
LOL! There was a huge patch of blackberries across the street from the old old house I lived in when I was little, and since we lived there for about 4 years, I used to pick berries with my mom all the time. I haven't had any berries on my property in years though, although I did take my daughter raspberry and strawberry picking last week. It was pretty fun since it was the first time I'd ever taken her. It wasn't too buggy, and we went with friends, so it was very enjoyable.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
20 Aug 08
LOL...my littlest one discovered berry picking too! He runs to the ones that aren't mixed with briars and grabs all that he can reach..black, red, and green!
@emskoneko (805)
• United States
20 Aug 08
Even though my family lives in the city, my dad grows tomatoes, okra, and peppers in the backyard. So we don't have anything growing wild on our property. But my uncle has blackberries growing in his backyard.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
20 Aug 08
I don't have any berries right here, but I know they are in the area. I loved to go blueberry picking when I was a kid, and that's one thing that I will make sure I have room for when I buy a house - must have berry bushes!
Yes, bugs and briars are definitely not fun, but please make sure you watch out for poison ivy and such too. This is definitely the time of year for it, and I am extremely allergic.
