Providing information to help you live a Simple Country Life and be as self-sufficient as possible.
Blackberries
Blackberries are red until they ripen and then they turn to black. In botanical terms it is not a berry it is an aggregate fruit composed of small drupelets. The drupelets are filled with a juice that can be sweet or so sour they will make your lips pucker. They range in size from small as a dime or as long as your thumb.
Blackberries are a valuable food source for Wildlife
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Blackberries are abundant and a valuable food source for wildlife. We have several bushes along a clearing where we have a game camera set up and quickly discovered that the thief stealing our berries was in fact several whitetail deer. Snakes will eat berries but are more attracted by the birds and mice. A black bear will clean a patch out very quickly. These are just a few of the wild life species that depend on berries for food. The dried seeds provide a food source all winter just like sumac.
Growing blackberries
My Uncle Bill had a row of thorn less blackberries. I was always amazed at how big they would get
and how sweet they tasted. It was a great treat to run across the yard to
the patch and pick a few.
Blackberries are easy to grow. They are perennials and grow year after year. The plants die off each year after frost but new shoots will pop up the next growing season. (It is best to remove the old dead stem by pruning to allow for the new shoot)
If planting, choose a spot to plant with full sun to help assure a good crop. You might want to pick a spot away from your house since snakes enjoy a good berry patch.
There are several different varieties, some grow along the ground and some stand upright. Space the plants with plenty of room at least 3 feet between plants.
Water is also important in berry production. If it is a summer with little rain the berries may not even get ripe. They will just dry up on the vines or they will ripen and be small and bitter. A thick layer of mulch will help to hold moisture for the plant.
They will not produce fruit until the second year and remember to remove the old dead stem by pruning at the ground to allow for new shoots. This will also help to keep disease from setting in (such as a fungus).
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Blackberries and Your Health
Blackberries are low in calories and high in fiber. They contain 62 calories per cup and provide 233 mg of potassium, 8 gr of fiber, 2 gr of protein, 50% of the daily allowance of vitamin C, a good source of vitamin K and are an antioxidant.
Blackberries have been used for folk medicine for many centuries. The root has been used to treat diarrhea, the juice is used for nausea and colitis, the leaves are made into a tea for labor pains and also chewed for toothaches. These are only a few of the ailments that this amazing plant has been used for. When I was pregnant, I had severe nausea, Grandma Fluharty gave me a quart of canned blackberries and said to drink the juice. It didn’t get rid of it completely but it did make it bearable. I read an article that the stems and leaves contain tannin and can be dangerous if you have liver issues, so as with anything use caution and do your research before consuming any substance. It is your body and only you know what is going on with you.
Blackberries in history...
One of the earliest know instances of blackberries being
used as food comes from the preserved remains of the Dutch Haraldskaer woman
who’s naturally preserved body dating from 2500 years ago. The bog provided the perfect preservation of
the body, not only was her skin intact but her internal organs had been
preserved. Upon examining her stomach
contents blackberries were found. Wikipedia
Blackberry Cobbler
One of the best summer treats is a cobbler made from blackberries you've picked yourself. This is a simple recipe I have used for years. It is simple but oh so delicious. Click here Berry Cobbler.
Blackberry Wine
I will admit that my favorite wine is Blackberry. There is nothing better than a big thick steak cooked on the fire and a glass of sweet blackberry wine. I have had the pleasure of drinking homemade wine but I have never made it and can't wait to give it a try. Blackberry Wine Recipe
Farm in West Virginia where you can pick your own blackberries.
my cup runneth over.....Psalm 23:4-6
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