Towards the back of our development, the side facing Centennial Woods, I came across a patch of wild black raspberries the other day. Admittedly, I had to do some googling before I figured out exactly what they were. They're tiny compared to cultivated raspberries but have a wonderful flavor. And unlike the raspberries you grow in your own garden, these were bit of a pain to pick. This particular patch was growing on the side of a downward slope so I had be extra careful when picking. Falling head first into a thick patch of thorny brambles would ruin anyone's day.
As you can see, the berries start out red, turn purple and then ripen black.
Luckily, I was able to find several patches that were not so treacherous, though I also made the mistake of not dressing in appropriate attire when I picked my first batch. Like most wild edibles, these tend to grow amidst tall weeds and brush, which are a haven for plants and bugs that make you itch. Luckily, it was just the bugs that first time and now I make sure to wear pants whenever I go searching for them.
Juneberries a week ago, wild raspberries now and blackberries next month - who knew you could have this much free fruit living within city limits? At this point, I've been able to pick almost two pounds of these berries. (They are tiny and way next to nothing!) Combined with some of our cultivated red raspberries, I now have enough to make a batch of (mostly) wild black raspberry wine.
I've seen some here growing along a path, but they were so sour. Not sweet like the cultivated kind.
ReplyDeleteThese have always been my favorite berry. The patch growing by my house when I was growing up was very sweet and intensely flavorful. You can purchase named varieties from catalogs too. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWe have these bushes all over the house and trying to keep them out of our normal plantings. Unfortunately we don't get to see berries because the moment they get somewhat ripe birds clean them out.
ReplyDeleteI love to find wild berries! We have not had any in the last few years and I really miss them. Maybe next year it will rain enough.
ReplyDeletebrings back memories of my grandpa. He used to go out to his secret locations and pick over 30 quarts, which grandma would can, each summer.
ReplyDeleteWe have those growing all over our property. What we can get before the birds eat them, we enjoy as free foraging treasure!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was an intern at a theater company in Connecticut, I used to pick buckets full of black raspberries. Virtually none of the other interns would eat them, because FOOD THAT DOESN'T COME FROM THE STORE IS S-C-A-R-Y.
ReplyDeleteTheir loss. The actors and I ate plenty of black raspberry pie that summer.
Awesome to see this. In our land, to grow this plant is difficult. Anyway it has a grow, we can not get good result. Good luck.
ReplyDeletewow! I can't believe someone with the same experience. I grew up in New Milford, Ct. Our development (Cedar Knolls) was next to a tree nursery that, for some reason or another, seemed abandoned. As a young boy in the 60's, our neighborhood gang would play "war" in that nursery and.....pick wild black raspberries when they bloomed. To this day, my Dad, sister,and I,my Mother having passed, still love Black Raspberries...Sometimes its the little memories that mean the most.
ReplyDeletewow! I can't believe someone with the same experience. I grew up in New Milford, Ct. Our development (Cedar Knolls) was next to a tree nursery that, for some reason or another, seemed abandoned. As a young boy in the 60's, our neighborhood gang would play "war" in that nursery and.....pick wild black raspberries when they bloomed. To this day, my Dad, sister,and I,my Mother having passed, still love Black Raspberries...Sometimes its the little memories that mean the most.
ReplyDelete