Blackberries

[speckled wood]

Was in tesco today when I saw a punnet of blackberries on sale, something like £1.50. The puzzle to me is that you go along almost any country lane or footpath at this time of year and blackberries are there for the picking, easy to pick a couple of pounds in a few minutes. Take them home wash them put them in the freezer and they will last there for several month there to bring a taste of summer to the cold winter months. So why to so few few people partake in this free harvest?

[cherrybee]

I have seen loads near the Otter and on the Common there were some family's picking them but not as many as there used to be when I was younger.Used to go with my mum in our country lanes on a weekend for blackberry and apple crumble used to eat so many on the way its a wonder we got any crumble.I keep meaning to take a box with me when out and about but always forget.Never forget the camera though.Saturday I ws helping my friend pick sloes for her sloe jelly and if she had enough she was going to make sloe gin

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by speckled wood

Was in tesco today when I saw a punnet of blackberries on sale, something like £1.50. The puzzle to me is that you go along almost any country lane or footpath at this time of year and blackberries are there for the picking, easy to pick a couple of pounds in a few minutes. Take them home wash them put them in the freezer and they will last there for several month there to bring a taste of summer to the cold winter months. So why to so few few people partake in this free harvest?

I was listening to a radio show talking about farmers markets and supermarkets the usual sort of thing.... and I couldn't believe it when i heard this younger chap say almost in passing that he preferred to get his fruit and veg from the supermarket because you knew then where it had been..................
surely that's the opposite of what is true?!?!? I think he was put off buy the dirt on the produce...... supermarket veg clearly grows in a sterile vacum as you can tell by the lack of soil right?
so I think it's for those people, the ones who are frightened of getting their hands dirty......

[bendog]

The Tesco ones are special - they have been irradiated and then kept in cold storage before they arrive on our shelves! It might also be worth checking the country of origin - amazing how many "fresh" foods travel thousands of miles to our tables.

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

I was listening to a radio show talking about farmers markets and supermarkets the usual sort of thing.... and I couldn't believe it when i heard this younger chap say almost in passing that he preferred to get his fruit and veg from the supermarket because you knew then where it had been..................
surely that's the opposite of what is true?!?!? I think he was put off buy the dirt on the produce...... supermarket veg clearly grows in a sterile vacum as you can tell by the lack of soil right?
so I think it's for those people, the ones who are frightened of getting their hands dirty......

At least when you pick them in the lanes you know exactly where they came from.Grown naturally.I ate a few on my walk the other day I am still here and ok.Mum always said a bit of dirt never hurt no one.We are too clean these days thats why kids dont build natural immunitys.You here childrens mums saying dont get dirty dont eat that its not washed keep your clothes clean.No wonder they all catch all the bugs going round they havent built up enough of their own immunities.Its like my friend who is a midwife says not only are we too clean but we keep babies in to sleep whereas we used to put them out in the garden to sleep in the fresh air much better for them than constantly kept inside with cenral heating etc.Plus if you take the kids for a walk picking wild fruit they will see all the wildlife around and have fun in the fields trees and streams.Much better for there health and minds

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by cherrybee

At least when you pick them in the lanes you know exactly where they came from.Grown naturally.I ate a few on my walk the other day I am still here and ok.Mum always said a bit of dirt never hurt no one.We are too clean these days thats why kids dont build natural immunitys.You here childrens mums saying dont get dirty dont eat that its not washed keep your clothes clean.No wonder they all catch all the bugs going round they havent built up enough of their own immunities.Its like my friend who is a midwife says not only are we too clean but we keep babies in to sleep whereas we used to put them out in the garden to sleep in the fresh air much better for them than constantly kept inside with cenral heating etc.Plus if you take the kids for a walk picking wild fruit they will see all the wildlife around and have fun in the fields trees and streams.Much better for there health and minds

couldn't agree more! I was reading new scientist the other day and it seems one of the more promising potential cures for MRSA has originated in soil........
says it all really!!

[speckled wood]

Originally Posted by cherrybee

At least when you pick them in the lanes you know exactly where they came from.Grown naturally.I ate a few on my walk the other day I am still here and ok.Mum always said a bit of dirt never hurt no one.We are too clean these days thats why kids dont build natural immunitys.You here childrens mums saying dont get dirty dont eat that its not washed keep your clothes clean.No wonder they all catch all the bugs going round they havent built up enough of their own immunities.Its like my friend who is a midwife says not only are we too clean but we keep babies in to sleep whereas we used to put them out in the garden to sleep in the fresh air much better for them than constantly kept inside with cenral heating etc.Plus if you take the kids for a walk picking wild fruit they will see all the wildlife around and have fun in the fields trees and streams.Much better for there health and minds

I have had people stop to tell me that they are poisonous or to ask me if they are edible, one the other day took the biscuit though ... he said that they were Deadly Nightshade Berries!!!

[DaiTheDragon]

Ive been eating wild Blackberries since I was a kid, I don't know how many maggot's, bugs and wriggly things I ate as well but ime still here. I can't wait for the Hazel nuts.

Dai

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by speckled wood

I have had people stop to tell me that they are poisonous or to ask me if they are edible, one the other day took the biscuit though ... he said that they were Deadly Nightshade Berries!!!

Oh my god just goes to show we all need to go out on walks and learn about the things around us.I must admit though until I really got into my photography and started to go out and about I never really looked.I notice so much more now.If I see something out of the corner of my eye I automatically look to see what it is now,so much so that when I was sat in my sisters garden having a cuppa the other day she said "what are you looking at now!Every time i go to say something you turn away"

[2blackcat]

Took the boys out yesterday for a bit of fresh air and ended up going home with purple fingers
We do seem to have been the only ones picking them though
Still loads left for a weekend forage

[nightshade]

Avoid the ones where there is heavy traffic they may still have
high concentrations of lead
Two good things come from collecting blackberrys Wine and exercise

[mrs fish]

We are the only people around here who pick the blackberries
We made black and elder berry crumble, lovely.

[honeybee]

The cultivated varieties aren't even half as nice as the wild ones.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by honeybee

The cultivated varieties aren't even half as nice as the wild ones.

I completely agree with you honeybee - one of the things I am pushing is community orchards (including brambles , and elder patches plus pear , apple , quince etc which will enable whole communities to grow their own

[honeybee]

That would be lovely. We're quite lucky here, there are a lot of old orchards about, I was just out scrumping the other day. So much fruit goes to waste. Makes me sick tho...there's a big 70's estate nearby, called something like Orchard way because they cut all the trees down to build the houses. Left a few in the middle as some pathetic gesture.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by honeybee

That would be lovely. We're quite lucky here, there are a lot of old orchards about, I was just out scrumping the other day. So much fruit goes to waste. Makes me sick tho...there's a big 70's estate nearby, called something like Orchard way because they cut all the trees down to build the houses. Left a few in the middle as some pathetic gesture.

Typical like building on a water meadow , calling the estate watermead , or river view then being suprised when it floods

if community orchardisation interests you check out the common ground website http://www.commonground.org.uk/index-x.html

[honeybee]

Thanks, will do. There were a load of voluntary jobs going across the west/south to survey orchards. Unfortunately I don't have the time. Yeah, they're building a load of houses on stilts near Tewkesbury on the water meadow which floods every year. I hope they all get washed away! Nowhere is sacred.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by honeybee

Thanks, will do. There were a load of voluntary jobs going across the west/south to survey orchards. Unfortunately I don't have the time. Yeah, they're building a load of houses on stilts near Tewkesbury on the water meadow which floods every year. I hope they all get washed away! Nowhere is sacred.

what you need is a paid orchard survey job - I actually saw one tother day but I bet it was hotly contested - I'll send you a heads up if i see another one

[honeybee]

that would be triffic.. I'm about to apply for a job at herefordshire council to promote environmental issues in schools (wont get it anyway)but it's office based and I want to be out there getting my hands dirty!! (oh and eating apples )

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by honeybee

that would be triffic.. I'm about to apply for a job at herefordshire council to promote environmental issues in schools (wont get it anyway)but it's office based and I want to be out there getting my hands dirty!! (oh and eating apples )

If you ever want to talk over coservation jobs jobs and tinterview tips etc an that feel free to pm me - think positive , get the job then make it your own (I spent saturday promoting school environmental involvement by getting filthy in their nature area

[henrya]

Quote
Avoid the ones where there is heavy traffic they may still have
high concentrations of lead
Endquote

Also avoid the ones below DLCH

henrya