It’s Berry Picking Time

My in-laws have a knack for gardening and a phenomenal yard. My father-in-law is extremely knowledgeable about plants and can get almost anything to grow. My mother-in-law is very creative and can design beautiful flower beds. I’ll admit we try to emulate a lot of what they do in their yard in our own and often seek their advice on what to plants to buy. They have a huge area behind their house that has raised beds for vegetables, and they also have a blackberry patch. When they told us that the blackberries were ripe and needed to be picked, we were on top of it. We LOVE blackberries! After work, my husband and I loaded up the boys and went to their house. If you've not ever picked blackberries, then you should know that the vines are covered in thorns, and the thorns hurt. It always seems that the best looking berries grow deep within the bush where you have to maneuver your way past hundreds of sharp, pointy thorns to pick it. I can usually manage to reach the berry with few scratches, but I can never seem to get my hand and arm out without several pricks and scratches. I always look like I've been attacked by a cat when I finish picking berries. It’s definitely worth it for what you get in return. I forgot my camera so I couldn't take any photos of the beautiful berries on the vines. I remembered to take some photos of the berries after I washed them and before I put them in the freezer. We picked a total of 31 cups! It’s a really satisfying feeling to measure the amount we picked. I measured in cups because I have use the most amazing Blackberry Cobbler recipe (it’s from Southern Living about 10 years ago) that calls for 8 cups of blackberries. I’d never be able to make the cobbler if I had to buy the berries in a store, but since we pick them for free, it’s a treat we enjoy several times throughout the year. When we’re savoring each bite of cobbler, it makes every scratch worth it.