They Are Ripe, Finally

I know it’s late, but I think I have the latest developing blackberries on the planet. I remember always making my first batch of blackberry jam on the first day of summer, June 21st when I lived on the east coast.

I think it was two weeks ago when Auntie told me she was already sick of picking berries. Auntie lives only seven miles away from me and her berries were finished in mid August. My berries just became ripe enough to pick on the 25th. Every morning I go up on my hill and pick a gallon of them. I only pick the ones at eye level and I’m getting a gallon in about a half hour. If I were willing to spend the time and pick lower berries and plow into the bushes I could probably pick 30 gallons a day or more, but I only have so much freezer space. We go through only about four gallons of black berries a year, so I’ll be picking only two more gallons and call it good for the year.

I love picking blackberries. I don’t recall ever missing a harvest. I’m already considering where I should create new paths for more picking next year. I guess I should be grateful that my berries ripen this late. It's at this time of August all my projects are winding down and I need to concentrate on harvesting and putting up food for the winter. The end of the summer is in sight.