Export grade

This afternoon saw the packing of a batch of export grade blackberries. A careful blend of local roadside, streamside and flatside varieties, put together by our third generation ruboriste.

Sadly packing was interrupted by industrial injury, that is to say thorn attack to a calf, before we had filled our second tub, and we had to return to base for treatment.

The blackberries, however, looked very well.

Flatside, there were also some damsons, something I have not picked for a while - a while which checking today reveals to be just about three years, for which see reference 6, but more than a month later in the season. However, a lot had already fallen, most of those left needed a ladder and I was unsure about taking plums from the front hedge of a private property. Blackberries, OK - but plums seemed to be pushing it bit somehow. In any event, we didn't. Maybe I will be back to take another look.

PS 1: as well as the traditional beef mince (without onions, tomatoes or mushrooms, but with regular boiled vegetables on the side), lunch had also included a blackberry and apple crumble, made with blackberries nominally picked by the same team on a previous occasion.

PS 2: I did make it to the damsons on Tuesday afternoon. Heavy cropping things.

Two small tubs. Must be near the end of the season, with lots falling before I could pick them and some of them soft and overripe. BH now pondering what to do with them. Damson fool? Damson pudding? Damson crumble? Probably a bit too strong to eat simply stewed.

References

Reference 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackberry.

Reference 2: https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/fruits/blackberries. From which I learn that the leaves are drinkable and the canes are edible. Something else to try.

Reference 3: https://www.raspberryblackberry.com/. The US includes raspberries.

Reference 4: https://britishberrygrowers.org.uk/home. The UK includes strawberries.

Reference 5: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/122892/pdf/. Problems!

Reference 6: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2021/09/iberico.html.