Bilberry rake?

[FungiJus]

Bit of a long shot this one, but, does anyone have a bilberry rake that they have bought or made?

Judging by the flowers this year, it looks like there should be a good number of fruits in the summer and I fancy having a go at collecting them. I have previously collected these by hand, but for a reasonable number this can be backbreaking work!

If anyone could put up a photo or two with a few dimensions, that would help me along the way towards making one myself. I want to be sure that I don't damage any plants of course.

So, if there are any bilberry rakes out there at all...

Cheers.
J.

[Meta menardi]

The right choice of fork seems to work.

[FungiJus]

Ah yes - I can imagine that. Followed up with some sort of collecting pot to catch them as they fall. Nice one - thanks Phil.

[Stewy]

The Shrimp has bodged one up.............

Atomic Shrimp - Berry Picker

[FungiJus]

D'you know - I never heard of the Atomic Shrimp but I like his style!

Reckon this will collect more than the fork too (sorry Phil).

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by FungiJus

D'you know - I never heard of the Atomic Shrimp but I like his style!

Reckon this will collect more than the fork too (sorry Phil).

Big fan of the Shrimp. If you find yourself on a picnic, and then see Bilberries, use the fork instead of driving home to make the rake!

[Harry Eales]

Having been a fan of wild Bilberries for more years than I care to recollect, I recently bought a Swedish made 'Fruit Rake' from Ray Mears 'Woodlaw' web site.

I collected more Bilberries in an hour and a half the other day, than I have ever managed to collect by hand picking in a day's hard labour. I would have had much more, but 'Rain Stopped Play' lol.

At just over £10.00 each + delivery, they pay for themselves in a day. All you need is a site to collect the fruit, and NO, I'm not giving my Bilberry site away to anyone. lol.

These rakes will also collect most wild fruit including Blackberries, Raspberries, Bilberries, Cloudberries, Elderberries, Rowanberries, Black, White and Red Currents, Gooseberries, Sloes etc.

Buy one, and you won't ever regret paying the price, I got delivery within 24 hours. you can't criticise that. I have no financial connection with this Ray Mears Website. (sob).

See:-http://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/549-Jonas-Swedish-Berry-Picker/

Harry

[Deb London]

Goodness Harry, you should be a sales person.

I'll take three!

Ermmm...are there any Bilberries in London?

[Harry Eales]

Originally Posted by Deb London

Goodness Harry, you should be a sales person.

I'll take three!

Ermmm...are there any Bilberries in London?

Hello Debs,

Not as far as I know, Londinium is built on Clay, so there are no acid soils in the vicinity and therefore no likelyhood of Bilberry, unless you peruse some of the vegetable markets, where you may just find some imported from Poland, at a horrendous price.

To find wild Bilberry you need to go to the acidic peat moorlands of the North, by that I mean at least 150 miles north of Watford Gap. lol. North York Moors, also moors in Co. Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria are your best bet along with some areas in Wales and Scotland.

Not everything is centred on London, thank the lord. (and I'm an atheist). Bye the bye, I was at one time in my life a furniture salesman. lol.

Harry

[brendaward]

Met a local on the Long Mynd in Shropshire who was picking thousands with an afro comb from the chemist.