So where does everyone start to look when you are headed out to gather wild fruits and berries?
Do you start in the spring while the plants are in flower or do you wait until the fruits start to ripen?


I like marking the elderberries early while they are flowering, because they are much easier to find that way. While the blackberries are easier to find once they set fruit and you can see the little green berries starting to change color to red.

So far all I've collected is raspberries, blackberries, and elderberries. The brambles grow along road edges and in cutover areas. There are more brambles than I can keep up with on our property because it was logged a few years ago. Once the cultivars fill in I'll just be using those. Wild taste better but they take too much time.

Elderberries will grow most anywhere but seem to grow best near water. Like you I scouted a bunch of streams and ponds when they were flowering. Found so many within a few miles there's no need to look any further. They're just starting to ripen now.

I look everywhere when I drive around. Our little town is still isolated for Florida, but surprisingly, I found a really good blackberry patch in town on a piece of land the housing recession saved.

i'll try to keep a long story short...
we grew up picking blackberries, and going to upic strawberry and peach places. it was what u did to eat...along with hunting and fishing...
now i find that picking blackberries on our farm is...i don't know...vintage is the word that comes to mind, lol...i enjoy it and can't wait until next year!
i've planted peach trees, thornless blackberries, and blueberries this year on the farm, but there is nothing like the backwoods
(btw, don't think i can make wine outta of it, but got me a LOADED hickory nut tree just waiting till fall...mmm..pies)
thanks 4 the invite!

If you have some pics of your adventures please add them to the Group photos. I am going to look through the ones I have to see if I can find any good ones.

I think I will start a new discussion on the things or creatures that we encounter while out collecting as well.

Well it is almost time to start marking the wild fruits as they start to bud out.
I have got a new toy to help me with my relocating of the ones I find in flower, It called you guessed it a GPS. I had the worst time last year trying to remember where I saw those elderberry bushes flowering at. This year it will be easy, and with any luck the blackberries will do as good as they did last year.

Whats everyone seeking out this time of year?

Nothing, yet. Still subzero temps and 2 1/2 ft. of snow on the ground here in the frozen North. Will be late April/early May before anything starts to bud.

We finally got some nice Spring weather up here in the frozen North. I see the small wild cranberry patch in my yard has spread and I'm looking forward to hopefully picking enough for a 1 gal batch of wine this year. Fingers are crossed!

Well with my new GPS, I have marked over 70 different locations where larger elderberry bushes are at. Now it is just a waiting game and then its elderberries glore.
Supposed to be getting 100 lbs of blackberries here soon. Hopefully before I leave for two weeks starting this sunday.