Blackberries

[BearBiologist]

Made 4 pies Friday=2 gallons in the Fridge; another gallon today and Lord knows what's in the freezer. Still a dozen or so jars of preserves from last year (as well 3 berry pies and one apple!).

 

[JPGLSG1234]

There's only one thing better than blackberry pies, being number two sure ain't a bad thing.....

 

[nekvermont]

Nice. Are those wild or do you cultivate them? When I was a kid, my grandmother had a big gravel pit that produced huge blackberries like yours. We used to pick buckets of them. Lots of pies and jams. I miss those days.

 

[87flht]

I’m just making a guess they don’t look wild ?

 

[Hvymax]

You must be up North. We berried out a month ago. We probably get a dozen gallons of raspberries that grow around the periphery of my yard. I used to have a nice patch of blackberries as well until I got too close with the mower and a net of fishhooks drug me off the tractor. The 15 gallons of gas I had handy took care of that!!!

 

[Hvymax]

I keep planning on planting 100yds of Blackberries trained on a fence and 100yds of Raspberries the same and a row of fruit trees down the middle. That way 2 passes with the sprayer and it's done.

 

[BearBiologist]

1. PNW Blackberries (at least on the "wet" side of the Cascades) are weeds.
2. These are the thornless.
3. No real "cultivation". Planted them, cut them back each fall, and let them go!

 

[krw]

I knew a family that had 160 acres Blackberries and 40 acres Muscadines. All BB’s went to Walmart, muscadines went to Post winery

 

[jimbo1096]

I’ll be happy to send you my address for the leftover blackberry jam you have on hand

 

[BearBiologist]

I keep planning on planting 100yds of Blackberries trained on a fence and 100yds of Raspberries the same and a row of fruit trees down the middle. That way 2 passes with the sprayer and it's done.

We have about 40-50 feet of fence and some arbors.

 

[BearBiologist]

I’ll be happy to send you my address for the leftover blackberry jam you have on hand

I've given the neighbors carte blanche to pick anything along the alley and over the fence.

BTW: I use cornstarch instead of pectin in my filling=lots easier!

 

[Mobuck]

I've picked a lot of wild black berries. Grandmother did the prep and baked the pies. Pies were good but after an afternoon of picking berries, I looked like I'd spent the day preg-checking a herd of bobcats(not all of which were female).

 

[fiasconva]

One of the things I will always associate with picking blackberries is CHIGGERS.

 

[Colonialgirl]

View attachment 26042

Made 4 pies Friday=2 gallons in the Fridge; another gallon today and Lord knows what's in the freezer. Still a dozen or so jars of preserves from last year (as well 3 berry pies and one apple!).

What's your address and if I have the cash I may be there to help you with that inventory of goodies ! My Mom always had us picking Blackberries where ever they were growing; Tenn, PA, Okla when we were growing up. Blackberry pies/Cobblers/Jam, etc MMMMMMMM I think I gained 5 pounds just remembering.
Had Blackberry vines just outside the carport in Maryland for a quick "on the way to work" snack.

 

[Watertender]

I will be on the way with a loaf of hearth baked Italian bread and some fresh homemade butter!

 

[KIR]

Post the recipes for the pies please. Blackberries my fave!

 

[BearBiologist]

Post the recipes for the pies please. Blackberries my fave!

For 4 pies:

I fill a 10 qt soup pot with blackberries (frozen or fresh), mash a few fown with a potato masher (NOT the hand grenade! ), add about 1/2 to 2 cups white sugar. Heat. As the berries burst and condense down, add sugar to taste (We like our just a tad tart, so that ice cream goes well with it). When boiling, add a cornstarch slurry. You'll have to experiment to see how thick you like your filling. Boil for several minutes and remove from heat. Cool until thickened. If too "syrupy", reheat and add more cornstarch.

Place a premade pie crust on the bottom of either a good metal pie pan or a pyrex one. Fill with filling (DUH!!!). Brush edges with egg wash and place top crust on. Pinch/crimp edges and trim. Cut vent and brush with remaining egg wash. Sprinkle with bakers/crystal sugar. Repeat for 3 more times. Bake as normal. Best if baked before freezing.