Thanks a lot Major

You set the standard too high with your blackberries.

So here's the story. FINALLY find a U-pick blackberry farm. I'm super geeked because blackberries are so dang expensive. So we drive down to this place about 1/2 hr away. We're big on the U-picks at my house. We pick a lot, so to grow what we want wouldn't be realistic if we want a place for the kids to play.

We get there and find out its "all organic". Ok that's good. Price? 5.50 a quart! My fault for not asking on the phone. I was so wound up that I found them I forgot to ask. But we're here and its blackberries so we'll deal with it.

So we're told which field to head to. I have 2 trays that each hold 6 quarts of berries. Head back and see a rows of tangled messes of bushes. Weeds growing up in them, thistle, black locus trees, and other assorted unidentified weeds between the plants in the plants competing for space, was really disappointed.

But we're here, and its blackberries so lets make the most of it. Not the first time we've had less than ideal picking conditions but we always make the most of it. Start scanning the bushes looking for ripe berries? I see thorns. Really?!

So needless to say we only picked 6 quarts of blackberries before we were done. Was slim pickings because the plants were not well cared for and with the thorns and @ the price I finally had enough.

The reason why I posted this was to tell you my wife heard me grumbling "If this was Major's blackberries I wouldn't mind paying these prices at least his are well tended". My wife more than once asked me who Major was. Once I showed her this thread she agreed.

I was polite when I left but I'm still looking for that elusive patch of blackberries. Or I might just have to breakdown and plant some myself. Its the one thing I just can't seem to find around here.

Anyway keep up the good work and I wanted you to know your hardwork doesn't go unnoticed.

In this " all organic" berry farm ... would some of those assorted unidentified weeds among the thorny growth by some chance be Mary Wanna? :watering

At least that would be worth the asking price!

Yea, Major's are nice n neat!

Bob, "organic" does not mean "Mary Wana" growing. That's a prejudice to lose. Organic means a love of this beautiful planet.

Right now my Navajo thornless is finishing the last few berries, and my Burbank Thornless is getting past its seasonal production, still ripening some. Oh, and my Loganberry has made a few late berries waiting. Those are my FAVORITE! They have that subtle Raspberry flavor, are pretty large, and pick basically like Raspberries. My version has thorns and wants to grow prostrate so this winter I'll be tying it up onto stakes. Hopefully there will be some suckers to propagate with, else I'll do cuttings or layerings. Supposedly the Fall Gold and Indian Summer Raspberries make flowers for a late summer/fall crop. Haven't yet.

Mine will never be as neat as Major's but they sure will not be the mess that your u-pick place has them in. Right now it's a jungle though. They are new plants and I want them to grow big and happy this year. But Indian Summer! Those get mostly pulled this winter and I'll have a lot of new plants for friends who have the space for a berry that wants to take over the world.

bobm said:

In this " all organic" berry farm ... would some of those assorted unidentified weeds among the thorny growth by some chance be Mary Wanna? :watering

Click to expand...

What the heck does that mean?

sorry you had a bad experience, but you never know till you try...guess you are going to cross that place off your bucket list....
today dw had a good laugh she saw the lowes foods was selling blackberries for 2.99 for 6 oz yeah right heres to lowes :bun
do not even need to go look probably half red and half maybe black and tarter than a lime.

thank you jared and everyone on our blackberries, well the dw says i grow them and she picks them... yes if you want a nice berry patch you need to spend lots of time in them. to have a great berry pamper them, weed, feed, water, prune and good classic rock while picking..

5.50 a quart for u-pick wow. might have to raise my price next year.....
we did very very well this year due to all the rain and cooler weather in july.dw picked the very last tuesday and turned it into jam plus we have over 15 gallons in the freezer.<christmas blackberry cobbler>.
Did find a few this afternoon and they are just not hitting it.

will say this with all the rain that we received it has been almost a losing battle this year since i do not mulch them<seriously rethinking about this>
have to say the grass is winning right now, but thats ok i will have it shipshape by october.

for those of you who wish to grow your own go with thornless primocane type, so you can tip new plants.
1. buy 6 plants and then tip 12 runners the following year... you now have 18 plants if you have the space. most will live 10 live years before needing replacing.
2. build a trellis system double tee works really good. it's going to be there for a while so don't skimp on building it.......
3. make sure you can give them water they need throughout the season
4. most important select a type that will grow in your zone.

have not forgotten about doing a piece on post season pruning just waiting for the right time.


just a note... we were finally contacted by the distillery and quote<sorry to say we are happy with our supplier at this time we will keep you in mind > well ain't that a slap in the face..
so we are not going to expand our blackberries, but we are going to instead plant raspberries.

edit: jared next year pack the family up and come out here to pick berries..... that goes for everyone...

Major, thanks for the vacation! Got a spare bedroom? Can the dog come too?

So, what's the fishing like in Stokesdale in July?

Hmmm...let's see...with airfare, how much will those blackberries cost me? Hmmm...

Mary

ROAD TRIP!!!!