Someone's been in my blackberry patch!

Was it Brer Rabbit hiding from Brer Fox?

Don't worry, the blackbirds, pigeons etc get their fill in my garden.
In exchange they poop pink and purple dollops all over the path.

They know when they're well off and they don't mind us having a share of what we plant, too.

Actually, it is the wild animals and birds who should get first dibs. Humans don't deserve anything.

Anyone can come and pick my blackberries in exchange for a couple of hours on a deserted beach.

⛱?‍♀️

My gooseberry bush was picked clean recently, within hours of the neighbour messaging me to say they looked ripe and could he pick them! Unfortunately I didn't see the message until later in the day, by which time they'd gone and he then denied taking them

Can’t be me, I loathe blackberries!

Blackberry picking always reminds me of a Seamus Heaney poem.

Took my grandson to the (deserted) beach near me yesterday. On the way back, we stopped to pick some blackberries. Despite only being 2, he's a good little picker. So sweet. Totally nude, covered in sand, picking berries. A happy summer memory to add to my bank to last me until I see him again at Christmas.

every time i see this thread title, for a moment i imagine it is a marie lloyd or george formby song...

Yes it's a great year for blackberries here in Welwyn, Herts. They are large, juicy and sweet. I've made two lots of jam and a few apple and blackberry crumbles, delicious served with icecream. There's a bowl in the freezer for sparse days, so that's it for this season, no more blackberry picking until next year.

A friend recommended freezing them then dropping a few, still frozen, into a gin and tonic.
I haven't tried that yet.

The squirrel must have started harvesting the hazelnuts already, I found two or three around the garden which he forgot to bury.

Same here! Had my very own blackthorn and hazelnut bushes found when dog walking - now some cheeky monkey gets there before me and ‘harvests’ the lot!

Have they left you the ones at the top, which are difficult to reach? At least you know they won't have been contaminated by dogs!

Mmm, GagaJo, blackberry and vodka jelly! I fancy some of that...

There was one bush that they'd missed and I got a lot from it. I only need enough to use with one bottle of vodka. I've made some jelly which is nice, but I'm the only one that eats it so no point making more of that.

Hope it wasn’t me GagaJo! OH made a delicious apple and blackberry crumble yesterday.

We have loads.
It used to be wasteland here and someone came when we first moved in and got annoyed because she used to walk her dog and pick blackberries here.
DH has nurtured them so they are quite productive.

What a cheek, Gagajo, your own bit of wasteland! How very dare they.
I hope they left you some.
Or I hope they're too sour to eat.

Ours are practically finished I have several bags in the freezer they were very early big and juicy and plentiful.

I’m picking twice a week just a few at a time. All frozen.
They are big and juicy this year.

I have some thornless ones each year but not yet ready for eating. Blackberry and Apple pie, can’t wait ?

There are big black juicy ones here I picked a bag this morning

Our blackberries aren’t ready yet. They are small and I don’t think we’ll have big juicy ones.