If you live east of the Rockies, you have seen plenty of rain and maybe some snow this spring. If you live anywhere near Oklahoma, or followed the news, you know we’ve had an endless supply of storms and tornadoes. But there is good from this: a bumper crop of wild food. And just in time, because the rain pattern has broke for a while.
The blackberries this year are astounding. They are huge and some of my favorite picking spots are just carpeted with them. Literally; you have to watch where you step because sometimes the biggest and juiciest ones grow right down on the ground. At one point it got boring just standing in one place for a half-hour and picking. That’s only going after the choicest monsters as big as the end of my thumb. In two hours I picked well over a gallon.
This is just the early crop berries that grow on thin, spindly thorn vines and small bushes. They’ll keep putting out for the next two weeks at least. A month ago I kept my eyes out for the telltale white blossoms in the underbrush so I’d know where to pick. Right now the late crop is in blossom. The difference is easy to spot: Late crop blackberries grow on a very heavy, very thorny woody vine that tends to flex very little even when the berries are ripe. Picking early crop will have you a few scratches that might bleed a little, but the late crop will saw you into pieces if you aren’t careful.
I have enough to make one nice blackberry cobbler (wheat-free, of course) and the rest will be turned into a sludge I make for freezing. Instead of all the bother with jars and jelly-making, I just put them in the blender with some coconut sugar (or anything similar) and freeze it in blocks to thaw later.
It’s a lot of work, bathing in insect repellent first (I use a natural lemon oil based spray), then putting on high rubber boots, long pants and long sleeves, and carrying gloves for when I need to pull stuff out of the way. My enthusiasm has waned over the years; I used to go out every evening during the season and store up three or four gallons, ranging out to several thickets on my bike. This year I could get a far bigger crop with a lot less work, but it’s not as much fun as it used to be. So this year it’s just one day of serious picking and I’m done with it.
And then there’s the sand plums, and late crop berries, and pears that seem to grow wild here…
Berry envy!
I see our gooseberries are coming along, and currants too, but blackberries are a long way off. Looks like we’ll actually get to eat the strawberries from our home patch this year, the garter snakes are guarding them for us. Haven’t seen a chipmunk all spring!
You are blessed! May you continue to feast, reap what you did not sow, such grace! What a wonderful example of the goodness of God!