millions for free

aromatherepy

hubby took kids and dog for walkies and came back with bag full of blackberries only problem is he had to go buy apples and cream, made a lovely apple and b/berry crumble yum yum............:D

gb57

I usually get lbs and lbs from my thornless blackberry bush in the garden, but not this year, presumably it has been too dry?

If you have too many blackberries to eat at the moment, cook them, cool them and freeze them (in amounts small enough to use). Defrost and use as needed, or could cook from frozen, but takes a long time.

When I was a kid, living in central London, we used to have a trip out to the "country" every autumn (we were considered "posh" on our council estate as we had a car - but it was my dad's company car - the first one was an A35!) to pick blackberries. All 6 kids and mum and dad would pick away, depositing them in a big bucket. When we got home mum would bottle them all in kilner jars (anyone remember them?) and we would have blackberry and apple tart all winter......

Pipcola

Don't post often but if you live anywhere near Woking try Horsell Common.

We exercise our dogs on the Common and this year there is a huge crop of blackberries. So far we have picked and eaten or preserved - in semi liquid form - approx 7 kilos.

Must try the previous posters recipes.....

Our dogs dont pee on them to busy eating them

Haggy_3

While picking blackberries in the New Forset I also noticed that there are a good crop of sloe berries this year (better than last year anyway!). A few weeks till they are ripe but they'll be perfect for Sloe gin at Christmas.

Anyone else out there pick mulberries? Not easy to find but few people pick them 'cos they don't know what they are.

My favourite are the chestnuts - been quite poor the last few years - perhaps better this one.

Happy scrumping...

tenuissent

There's a good sweet chestnut avenue near me, but I was a bit put off by the ones we didn't use at once, as worms crawled out of them...

I have boiled them, peeled them and bashed them into flour to make macaroon type things for people who can't eat gluten.

safetygirl

My blackberries in my garden which are completely wild have been ready since mid july and usually last until october, we could pick them for hours if only we had the time, there are hundreds of them.

This is for the person whose tenants hacked the blackberry bush down - to help cultivate them we hack them right back in the Autumn every year and they come back even stronger year on year.

safetygirl

Storing blackberries.

Pick them, wash them thoroughly - rescuing the garden wildlife from there as you do. sort through them removing bad ones and those with botritis (mouldy looking) bung them into a food bag with no holes (500 for a pound from cheap shops). Freeze and defrost either at room temperature or by gently heating and then boiling and enjoy at Christmas or whenever takes your fancy.

Enjoy

Ps Gillian McKeith (you are what you eat guru) says that blackberries are a superfood and really good for you.


PPS never pick from the side of the road or low down on the bushes on dog walking routes. Try at the side of canals away from roads and dogs!!!

:T

$sTaCeY$_2

went picking aload of blackberries last week got 2 carrier bags full of them took us over an hour to collect them all though

merryberry_3

dosheroonie wrote:

Hi all,
I live in Basingstoke, which is quite close to the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston. Consequently, although there are heaps of blackberries to be had in the local vicinity, I am a bit reluctant just in case they might have been irradiated. Might be me just being over paranoid, so I wonder what anybody else thinks, particularly if you live in the area.

Cheers

Hi

I live 200 yards from AWE entrance, and apart from my healthy green glow i see no problem with the area!

Seriously have just got in from picking blackberries, with my mum who has lived here all her life and she is still going.

givememoney

My husbands picked 26 lbs of blackberries all from the alleys around our London home. This year they are plumper and sweeter than normal despite the drought.

He makes delicious wine.