Blackberries one

The remains of the 2021 harvest still lurk at the bottom of our freezer and the 2022 harvest, while present, has been presenting a rather withered appearance. Nevertheless, taking into account the recent sprinkle - tropical thunderstorms not having made it past the North Downs to Epsom - I got out yesterday to see what might be done.

Kicking off, in fact, where I started on the last outing of last year, noticed early September at reference 1. Unlike the year before when I had finished before the middle of August, as noticed at reference 2.

Kicking off and not, as it turned out, moving on, as I got all I had box for in the one session. A lot of dried up berries which I left, a lot of quite big berries which I took and most of which came off the stalk readily enough, a lot of smaller berries, more of which did not detach so well. Presumably at least two different varieties of berries were involved. Of the hundreds scattered around the world, at least enough to rate a whole botanical book about them, a botanical book in good condition, from OUP, which I fancied - but I did not care for the price, £20 or more as I recall. I wonder how long it sat there after I declined? A declination I have regretted ever since.

Did my primary and secondary boxes in an hour or so, quite good going. Some scratches, two very sticky and dirty hands. I carry water anyway, but must remember to take a cloth for wiping next time.

Nearly all trayed up for the freezer, an hour or so later. Not something that either of our natal families went in for, freezers not being much around in those days, but a trick that BH picked up from one or other of the mum-and-baby operations which she went in for when our boys were babies.

No doubt these ones will all be bagged up and the balance trayed up by this time tomorrow. Most of them will end up in stewed blackberry and apple. Some in blackberry and apple crumbles, with or without crunchy toppings. Speaking for myself, I prefer without. While some correspondents talk of blackberry and apple jam, but after the haws of reference 3 I don't think we need another sugar fix.

References

Reference 1: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2021/09/third-and-probably-lastberries.html.

Reference 2: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/08/fifth-and-last-blackberries.html.

Reference 3: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2022/08/hawtime.html.