Fortunate Foraging Blackberries

Rich enjoyed foraging blackberries on an August morning. We love harvesting and eating wild foods gathered on our property at Winding Pathways and in area parks. Every once in a while, our foraging forays yield a bonanza. That is what happened on Rich’s walk. Fortunate Foraging Blackberries

Just after rounding a bend on a Wanatee Park trail, he spotted a patch of wild blackberries. We love them, but they aren’t a reliable food source. To yield juicy fruit the thorny plants need regular rain. In most years the canes sprout springtime blooms that transform into tiny fruits. Then comes a dry spell and the promising fruit dries into inedible seeds.

It’s been years since we enjoyed abundant blackberries, but 2024’s frequent rain promised a heavy crop. That’s what Rich found on his morning walk. Canes were loaded with berries that came with picking bonuses. So many were ripe that picking was easy and the hordes of hungry mosquitoes that normally guard the fruit must have had the day off. Picking in an unusual August cool breeze was a pleasure.

Species of Blackberries

Wild blackberries of several species grow across much of the United States. Most ripen in mid-summer. They thrive in sunny clearings and often quickly colonize when trees blow down or are harvested. A 2020 derecho felled thousands of trees in our area, letting the sun reach soil that had been in the shade for decades. Black raspberries and blackberries began growing the next year, as if by magic, but summers were dry so they didn’t make a crop. Four years after the storm and eight inches of July rain produced an amazing crop.

Unlike many foraged foods that have toxic lookalikes, there are no harmful plants to confuse with blackberries. It is an ideal wild food for novice foragers to start with.

Eating Blackberries

We love eating fresh blackberries. Add a dribble of milk and maple syrup to a bowl and enjoy them. They’re delicious in oatmeal and freeze well. A friend makes the world’s tastiest blackberry pie that’s yummy when served with vanilla ice cream.

Rich encountered a man who’d picked at least two gallons of the small fruits.  “What do you do with them,” he asked, and the fellow picker responded:

“I put them in a big pot with some water and sugar and boil it until the berries soften. Then I run them through a cheesecloth filter to remove the seeds and skin. I let it cool down, invite friends over, and mix vodka into the berry juice.  It’s just delicious!” he enthused. 

Information on blackberries can be found online or in printed books, but a fun website is Spoon University. It’s loaded with foraging information from a young person’s perspective.

A Picking Tip

Blackberry canes are armored with fierce thorns. Hungry mosquitoes often pounce on human pickers. Wear long-sleeved pants and a sturdy shirt. Bring along insect repellent.

Have fun picking and eating a delicious wild bounty of the land.