Blackberry heaven

This summer has been the first year we've harvested wild blackberries.  We found a patch at our nearby lake and the State Park regulations allow for people to harvest for their own use.  We decided to head to the lake and try it out.

These are not thornless blackberries, but they are delicious.  The State Park staff have mowed paths throughout the patch to make it easier for pickers to get to the berries.  We loaded up on a Friday morning with our jeans and long sleeves and plenty of containers.  Jeans and long sleeves are a must if picking wild blackberries.  Those things can grab you and practically pull you into the cans in a matter of seconds.  I thought leather gloves would be a good idea, but they made pulling the berries off much harder.  When you pick these berries, they are soft or really soft.  You need to know how much pressure to use and leather gloves just don't let you feel that.

We usually pick in the morning, so it's cooler.  This summer has been strange with cooler than usual July temperatures, so the two times we went out, the picking was great.  We typically spend about 1 1/2 to 2 hours picking.  By that time, we are either hot and tired or our fingers are full of tiny little thorns.

When we get home, we get the berries ready for the freezer.  I freeze mine in a single layer on parchment paper.  Once frozen, they go into my food saver bags and back into the freezer until I decide what to make with them.  The first time out picking, I froze all my berries.  This second time out, I froze 3 quarts and kept about 3 cups out and made a blackberry cobbler.  It was so rich and delicious!  I can't wait to make more!  I think I may be done picking for the year.  My fingers are tired of thorns and I'm running out of summer to get up there.