turbo33 Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 Thankfully, the blackberries are near enough over, or been chomped up by the hedge cutters. A bit of wild blackberry and apple pie, fantastic. But when your wondering why the few birds that are about are shying away, or about to take that seemingly safe rifle shot, look out for the blasted blackberry foragers. The last few visits to the farm have almost driven me insane. They've been popping up all over the place scaring everything for miles around. No-where near the footpaths, wandering through the woods. Some waving brightly coloured plastic bags about, others dangerously camo clad in their weekend attire. Not only is it extremely annoying, its down right bloody dangerous Anyone else had the same this year with the abundance of fruit about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebarrels Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 You should have joined them mate,at least you could put blackberry pie on the table no chance of a pigeon pie around these parts BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 Not been a problem in our area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 They have been everywhere this year for the last 4 weeks, as the blackberry season seems to be a long one, with ripe and unripe berries on the brambles at the same time. It does seem the best berries grow on the brambles on blind bends, in our narrow lanes. I can guarantee that every blind bend has a car parked and a couple of people picking berries. There is also a couple of vans going round with 10-12 ladies picking in groups, they are obviously doing it commercially. Heaven for me would be the idiot cyclists crashing into the idiot blackberry pickers and the whole lot being carted off in a wagon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garden gun Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 Round our way blackberries are rotting on the bushes. Not being picked enough - they are free food after all. Not seen any commercial wild berries for sale so you may wish to consider that it is teams of Eastern Europeans picking for their community. Anyone have news from the New Forest this year? Are the gangs denuding the mushrooms again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 Best bramble season for a long time up here, freezer is full and sorry to see so many plump berries going to waste unpicked. Far fewer people forage than used to be the case in this part of the world where the plastic wrapped supermarket offering reigns supreme. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 My mate told me not to pick on his farm as he's spraying round up . It made me think that you never know what's sprayed on them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruity Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 A cracking crop this year , had nearly 7kg all from behind the house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mighty Prawn Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 we picked several pounds and because I'm a sad sack I checked the retail price and saw we'd scored over £20 of blackberries in less than an hour! Sadly literally tons have gone to waste on the bushes, a bumper crop and apparently just me foraging in the Bromsgrove area. Highlight for me was posh welly dog walker lady stopping and staring so we said hi, she asked what we were doing and in a rare moment of non sarcasm I explained picking wild blackberries, she thought for a moment and asked, and what are you going to do with them? Foolishly I assumed she was asking for specifics so my wife said probably crumbles and maybe some jam, cue posh welly lady looking horrified and exclaiming 'you eat them?' before hurrying off shaking her head - other than from a shrink wrapped package where does she think fruit comes from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delburt0 Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 (edited) They have been everywhere this year for the last 4 weeks, as the blackberry season seems to be a long one, with ripe and unripe berries on the brambles at the same time. It does seem the best berries grow on the brambles on blind bends, in our narrow lanes. I can guarantee that every blind bend has a car parked and a couple of people picking berries. There is also a couple of vans going round with 10-12 ladies picking in groups, they are obviously doing it commercially. Heaven for me would be the idiot cyclists crashing into the idiot blackberry pickers and the whole lot being carted off in a wagon. im one of those cyclists, prefer mountain biker though, cyclist sounds like a old dear going to the village shop for some tenaladys,I'm sure when they did the pennine trail they planted blackberry bushes on purpose, ( for the record we don't go on roads if we can help it )Not just blackberry pickers I decided to jump out of the hide the other week on someone who was knicking straw he was only 20yds away and didnt have a clue ( good hide )quite funny didnt no oaps could run that fast . .... Edited October 3, 2013 by delburt0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwmmawr Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 If you told alot of kids today you were off out to get some blackberries they would be expecting you back with mobile phones unfortunately Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 (edited) "A berry picked black any October day is in the devils seed and pains the gut til May" That's what my Gran always used to say..about late picked blackberries... Edited October 7, 2013 by Fisherman Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickB65 Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 As the Blackberrys end so the sloes start.... I love this time of year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat bloke Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 My gran used to say 'what you can't see, can't hurt you' She died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garden gun Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 5kg of sloes picked Sunday. Now have 5 litres gin, 2 litres vodka, 70cl Cuban rum on the go. Jamaica rum and port left to do. Leave in jars for about 9+ months and will be ready next Christmas tide. Berries so ripe that the spirit is sdeep purple alraedy after only a couple of days. Bumper year - picked in under an hour and a half!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat bloke Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 Everyone round garden guns next Christmas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickB65 Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 Picked first batch Sunday and they are in the freezzer to split and then thaw and bottle. Next batch will be picked this Saturday after first true frost and bottled same day..... Will be ready for this Christmas and will be potent..... Sloe Gin is the best drink ever..... neat in the Winter or with a little Tonic and ice in the Summer..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garden gun Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 The ones round here are so ripe they do not need to be frozen - split as you pick them!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itchy trigger Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 Picked first batch Sunday and they are in the freezzer to split and then thaw and bottle. Next batch will be picked this Saturday after first true frost and bottled same day..... Will be ready for this Christmas and will be potent..... Sloe Gin is the best drink ever..... neat in the Winter or with a little Tonic and ice in the Summer..... in sparkling wine, or on christmas morning in the champagne (sloegasm) instead of boring orange juice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leadbreakfast Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 Done damson gin this year. Got 10lb the other week then went to get more for a friend, the farmer as only gone and dug all five tree's and the hedge row out to widen his field. The only local wild damson tree's I knew of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet1747 Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 My ESS sits and eats them straight of the bush, only picks the ripe ones funny to watch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1982 Posted October 12, 2013 Report Share Posted October 12, 2013 Made 2 litres of blackberry gin and 2 litres of sloe gin this year, should be ready for bottling by Christmas. Also made a few jars of blackberry and elderberry jelly - tastes great with pigeon breasts and a few potatoes from the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peely Posted October 12, 2013 Report Share Posted October 12, 2013 Im really struggling to find any sloes this year.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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