For the last several years here at our farm, I have reserved the month of July to pick and peddle blackberries. These are a tame variety which the University of Arkansas developed several years ago. They are acclimated to our climate and growing conditions. We originally planted 150 plants across the road from where we built our house in 2012. After about 3 years of they plants not getting any bigger than about 2 feet tall, we decided we needed to do something different. The deer were keeping them munched down and they would never bloom. I set to work digging as many as I could and replanted in our yard. The deer don't bother them any more as we have dogs that stay in the yard. To my knowledge, we've never had anything bothered by the deer. It's well worth the bag of dog food every couple of weeks! Since moving, they have done very well. Some years better than others. Last year, I picked and sold 100 quarts. That's not counting what we used and what I gave away to neighbors and family. This year, not quite 80 quarts. They're not finished yet, but not enough for me to take and fill orders. They're beginning to dry up as they normally do. The vines have done their job and the berries will begin to dry on the vine.
The berries seemed to be a little smaller than in past years. There were so many, I think that is perhaps why a bit smaller.
Sooo....with so many berries...you sell and give as many as you can. But, there are still more! I've made wine, jelly, syrup and numerous desserts as well as eating as many as we can fresh and feeding them to Pearl and Ace, the horses, they love them too!
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