Has anyone ever gone on the quest for the ultimate wild blackberry? Today, we are conducting a Blackberry review from around the country! How are this year’s wild blackberries doing around your way? Are the lack of summer sun and heavy rainfall pointing to poor pickings?

Picking Wild Blackberries in Ireland

Wild blackberry bushes are not showing much sign of bearing a heavy load. Some blossoms are still budding on the branches – very late in the season. Those which are located in sunnier areas and have managed to be pollinated are forming into berries, but are still very small, hard and green. It looks like we’d need a month of constant sunshine to bring them on to full ripeness if we are to have plenty of fruit for seasonal pies and desserts. We are predicting a less than bountiful clutch this year from the nation’s favourite annual wild fruit harvest. Can anyone tell us any difference in the hedgerows and ditches of their region of Ireland? We hope there will be some wild fruit available for our Good Food Ireland Foragers like The Wild Irish Foragers and Preservers and Wild About, who rely on nature’s bounty to produce their wonderful artisan speciality ranges.

There are some golden rules to be followed when picking blackberries (provided you find some to pick!), read on: 

• Always only pick fruits that are fully ripe
• Avoid picking from bushes near busy roads where car fumes can pollute the fruit.
• Leave some for the birds – they like berries too!
• Never pick berries on private property –  unless you have permission from the owner of course.
• Take care when picking. Wear long sleeves and protective gloves because wid blackberry bushes have tougher branches and thorns than cultivated bushes. Many’s the scratch you can attain in the quest for the ultimate berry!

Follow the country code regarding rubbish – if you take snacks or refreshments with you, make sure you bring all empty packaging or drinks bottles home with you.

Let us know what the wild blackberry crop is looking like where you are. Good Food Ireland Blackberry Watch 2020 is officially launched!

Celebrate the blackberry season with this fantastic Hedgerow Martini.

Written by: Good Food Ireland®

The Wild Irish Foragers and Preservers

Wilde Irish Foragers create natural wild Irish Syrups, Sauces, Fruit Cheeses, Jellies, Pontack and their newest product, Shrubs using recipes from a bygone era.

WILD ABOUT

Fiona and Malcom Falconer are wild about wild food! The Forage Forest in the garden of their home in Co. Wexford is a prolific paradise of wild and cultivated fruits, and herbs.