Hello!
It was our 10 year wedding anniversary today! And we very romantically went to the rubbish tip. (haha – just another of those jobs on the ‘to do’ list)
Among other things we did get back to our blackberry patch to see if anything was ready! (At the abandoned school – see here)
Sure was!
We only had an hour up our sleeves as Cousin Beau was meeting us at home so I could show him the run of the place and what he needs to do while he is here. He is pretty happy about all the vegies he will have at his disposal!! (Yeah, what I REALLY need is a few teenagers for a week or two to fang through our excess food! 😀 )(Actually Beau couldn’t stop laughing at how many tomato plants I have growing out there)
Anyway, plenty of ripe blackberries to collect!
Its a tricky job. Blackberries are one of the most massively defensive plants out there!! Some of the thorns are diabolical! The leaves have hooked thorns all the way down them! Gloves are hard to use because then its tricky to grab the fruit.
Basically its a steady as she goes kind of job that you don’t take your parents on because of the accidental swear words.
No matter how careful you are, they hook you!
But its worth it! The jam is great and I am looking forward to making blackberry ice cream!
Natural dyeing.
Two good sized containers worth today – hoping we get the chance to slip back before we head out on our hike.
Tonight I cooked them up and mooleyed them into pulp – so the jam etc will be seedless.
Into the freezer they go!
I love free food!
Cheers!
Happy Anniversary!!
We have lots of wild blackberries in the Pacific northwest. I cut the finger tips off a pair of gloves so my hands are protected from those nasty thorns. I also carry my clippers and cut as I go.
Check Mavis for blackberry clobber recipe, delicious! I freeze the berries whole and use them all winter. In fact I think I’ll make one today, great idea!
I enjoy your blog, thanks!
Hi Janet! Great tip about the gloves! We have plenty of old ones kicking about that we could sacrifice! And I was thinking yesterday if I went back I would take clippers!!! Would have made things easier! I’ll def. have to snoop on Mavis’s site for some different recipes!
Have fun cooking and glad you are enjoying the stories from Tasmania!
Happy Anniversary Lisa and Jeff. I lost my husband last spring but we liked to go berry picking in the woods. Our kids all liked getting freezer jam made from them. Love your blog and the pictures you put up. Fun to see how people live in other parts of the world.
Oh Nanci – I am so sorry to hear that! I couldn’t imagine it 🙁
I am glad you are enjoying the blog – the internet is a wonderful way to connect and learn about people and ways of life that you normally wouldn’t come across.
I have never made freezer jam. I am a little curious about it, but keep sticking to the way I know how. Maybe one day I will get brave and try it!