Blackberry picking

[The Large One]

A highly under-rated pastime, I fancy.

Been blackberry picking a couple of times in the past week, and it's all free of charge of course, and so far have made a couple of big pots of blackberry and brandy jam, and a couple of blackberry and apple crumbles.

Marvellous.

 

[dougdeep]

Pics?

 

[The Large One]

Some blackberries in reflective mood earlier today...

 

[bathseagull]

I went blackberry picking earlier today. Sainsbury's in Stanmore. They weren't free of charge.

 

[The Wizard]

I went blackberry picking earlier today. Sainsbury's in Stanmore. They weren't free of charge.

Thief.

 

[Frutos]

I went blackberry picking earlier today. Sainsbury's in Stanmore. They weren't free of charge.

Is that Stanmore in Middlesex? If so, I used to live there when my Dad was stationed there with the RAF. What's it like these days?

 

[algie]

A highly under-rated pastime, I fancy.

Been blackberry picking a couple of times in the past week, and it's all free of charge of course, and so far have made a couple of big pots of blackberry and brandy jam, and a couple of blackberry and apple crumbles.

Marvellous.

Good on ya.Sounds like you enjoy cooking fresh, what with making your own mince pies etc.Haven't done blackberry picking since i was a kid.Can get messy.

 

[rool]

I'm lucky enough to have miles and miles of lanes with old hedging around us with blackberries, sloes, elderberrys and crab apples that the locals never seem to touch. Most of the blackberries are still red or green but it won't belong before jam and wine making commences.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Was blackberry picking with a couple of my g/kids yesturday.

Lovely way to spend a couple of hours.

 

[dougdeep]

It's been a great year for sloes. They make a lovely rich wine.

 

[pishhead]

Used to do it all the time up Hollingbury golf course when we were kids, Used to have fresh Blackberries in bread in the breville sandwich toaster.

 

[bathseagull]

Is that Stanmore in Middlesex? If so, I used to live there when my Dad was stationed there with the RAF. What's it like these days?

Yeah, that's the one. It's much the same as it was I'd reckon - a little bit nicer than other parts of Harrow, gets a bit lively now when there's something on at Wembley but it'll do for now.

Where did you live?

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Used to do it all the time up Hollingbury golf course when we were kids, Used to have fresh Blackberries in bread in the breville sandwich toaster.

Picked a Kilo in no time last week, just between the golfcourse and the Allotments. My wife has already made apple and blackberry crumble and fine blackberry muffins with some of my mums apples from her garden to boot. My neighbour has also transformed said items into some rather delicious jam.

Hmm just may go and have a slice of bread and jam right now.

 

[Frutos]

It was nearly 20 years ago (bloody hell, until typing it there I hadn't clicked that it had been so long), but I THINK the road we lived in was called Embry Drive or something like that.

 

[The Large One]

Good on ya.Sounds like you enjoy cooking fresh, what with making your own mince pies etc.Haven't done blackberry picking since i was a kid.Can get messy.

It can, but it is fun. I too hadn't done blackberry picking since I was a kid, and I HATED it, now I love it.

We went to the foot of Ditchling Beacon last week, and to the hedgerows at the entrance to Firle Place this week, not necessarily to go blackberry picking - but, seeing as they just so happened to be there, we thought we'd help ourselves.

Making jam is a PIECE OF PISS.

For whatever weight of fruit you have, you need the same amount in sugar. Pectin isn't absolutely necessary, but doesn't hurt either.

Slowly boil the fruit (blackberries in this instance) in a biggish pan and for every kg of fruit, add 1/4 pint water. I used a cheap and nasty brandy from Asda instead. After 10 minutes, add the sugar bit by bit and stir, crank the heat up for a minute, then turn it down again and leave to slowly simmer for another hour. Be careful not to let the liquid overboil or you will get a sticky gunk on your cooker which is a pig to shift.

Allow to cool, and place in a sterilised or thoroughly cleaned jar and place (it will stil be a bit runny) in the fridge overnight. Next morning your jam will have set. Marvellous.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

We used to go Blackberrying at Toads Hole in the late 70's and 80's

 

[brighton_girl87]

We used to go Blackberrying at Toads Hole in the late 70's and 80's

I live right by there and it is a really good place to get blackberrys. Only problem is the horrible wasp spiders that are lurking in the bushes.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Used to do it all the time up Hollingbury golf course when we were kids, Used to have fresh Blackberries in bread in the breville sandwich toaster.

Like Horton's Iceberg we picked bagfulls (sp?) up there a few days back and are having blackberry and apple crumble tonite. Quite a prophetic thread by TLO as the missus and I were only debating the 'apparent' decline in the people you see out blackberry picking recently. It's free, it's untainted by chemicals (bar the odd bit of dog's piss) it's a superfood and it takes me back to my childhood. Highly recommended.

 

[steve-c]

might just go tomorrow, tlo has put me in the mood for blackberry and brandy jam, would i pass a breath test if i had it on my toast in the morning though lol .

 

[BensGrandad]

A highly under-rated pastime, I fancy.

Been blackberry picking a couple of times in the past week, and it's all free of charge of course, and so far have made a couple of big pots of blackberry and brandy jam, and a couple of blackberry and apple crumbles.

Marvellous.

Being pedantic that is not technically true as all land is owned by somebody and I think that you will find anything grown on their land is theirs. On our allotments some of the plots have blackberries some dont but I cant pick the ones that are growing although they have never been planted by the allotment holders and have just grown natuarally.