Cotswold Forager: The Humble Blackberry

Rob Gould is a forager with 20 years experience. In this series he will introduce readers to nature’s bounty that can be found and foraged easily. His passion is helping people to think about and develop a love for the wild food all around them and helping them grow a greater appreciation and understanding of the natural world as a whole

Blackberries may be common and easily taken for granted, but are part of Autumn’s bounty that should not be ignored! The Humble Blackberry

Autumnal foraging for the family

I’ve been extolling the virtues of Autumn since I started writing for Polo Times, and how great a season it is to be harvesting nature’s bounty, what with all the fruits, nuts and mushrooms. But then as I sat down to write this column, it struck me – it’s a wonderful time for harvesting when you’re out in the wild woods and hedgerows, but skimming around the edge of paddocks and polo fields is a different matter entirely...

So, this month we’re going to go about things a bit differently. Firstly, I thought we would look at the humble Blackberry: a bit of the folklore surrounding it, plus a few different ways of making use of it once harvested. Secondly, we’ll look at how you can ‘cheat’ at foraging, by setting yourself – and the wildlife that you share your land with – up for more bountiful harvests in the future.

Blackberries, I imagine, are probably amongst many people’s earliest childhood memories of spending time outdoors, of harvesting something from the wild, and therefore their first act of foraging. Although you honestly wouldn’t believe the amount of people I meet who, when asked if they’ve been foraging before, say no, but when pushed a bit say something like “well we do pick blackberries in the autumn, and wild garlic in the spring, plus we make elderflower cordial sometimes, but that’s not really foraging is it?” I guess they’ve become/remained such commonplace experiences that many no longer recognise the activity for what it truly is.

As such, there’s already an incredible amount of public knowledge of what to do

with them, from the incredibly simple ‘just eat them straight off the bush’ to compotes, jams puddings and so on. Although there’s far more than that – but let’s get back to basics first.

How exactly do you find and pick the best blackberries, and when is the best time to get them?

The first part is easy – take kids with you! Or it least pick them like a child. You see, as with many wild plants, the flavour of the fruits can vary hugely from one plant to the next. Therefore, if you’re walking along a long stretch of bramble hedging (incidentally ‘bramble’ is just another common name for the wild, uncultivated blackberry), you want to be sampling them as you go to get an idea of the flavour. Which is basically what kids do anyway... And when they/you find a patch with a good flavour that you like, pick as many ripe ones from there as you can. Then just rinse and repeat. Don’t bother with the ones that taste watery or too sour for your taste – that’s not going to have changed by the time you get to using them.

And look out for what’s known as the King Blackberry. It’s the one at the very tip of the fruiting cluster, and is generally the biggest, the sweetest, the first to ripen – and also the most easy one to get to. It’s also the one I like to think of as the harvester’s treat – instant gratification when you’re doing the picking.

Also, check for how ripe they are when harvesting. They need to be that deep rich

shade of purple, as they’ll never ripen properly off the plant, but remember, if they’re disintegrating as you pick them, they’ve gone over, and aren’t really of much use long term, so you would just want to stir them through cream or yoghurt that evening as a super tasty, quick and easy dessert.

As far as how late into the year you can pick them, it really depends upon the weather. But there’s an old saying, which generally works well as a guide, that you shouldn’t pick blackberries after early October as ‘the Devil gets in them.

It’s based on the old idea that the Devil was kicked out of heaven on 11 October, whereupon he landed on a blackberry bush. Supposedly it hurt so much that each and every year he takes his revenge by spoiling all the blackberries found after that date, either by coughing, spitting or weeing on them, depending on who you listen to. Now I’ve never seen him in action myself, but it’s a good rule of thumb, as once the frosts have arrived the blackberry skins get damaged and are far more susceptible to rotting or going ‘mildewy’, making them no good for preserving. Now some of you might think of this as cheating, but it’s the perfect time to consider planting up areas to begin increasing your range of ‘wild’ harvestable produce. After all, if I’m honest, the majority of wild edibles I harvest have actually been planted by someone at some point in the past. So maybe just think of yourself as acting as a benefactor to future generations of foragers. Think about all the native, and hardy nonnative, fruits and nuts that you would really like to be able to begin harvesting in a few years’ time, and start getting together a list now. The reason for doing it at this point is that virtually all plants establish better if planted out in their dormant period, which generally begins around mid-November and runs through till

Rob is a highly experienced forager with over twenty years of acquired knowledge.

He can be booked for private foraging walks, wild edible surveys and corporate sessions, and also runs public ticketed walks, talks and workshops. Two quick, super simple recipes that you’ve probably never tried before, but that are absolutely worth it.

Bramble Whisky/Brandy/ Vodka/Gin

Listed in my order of preference, although you could equally also use rum or tequila – those six alcohol types are generally considered the base spirits for most cocktails, and also by me for making my wild infusions, and each adds its own twist to your concoction.

Basically, you want to put as much fruit as you can in a large jar (I generally use a two or three litre Kilner type preserving jar), leaving space for your alcohol. Then simply cover your fruit with a reasonable quality bottle of your chosen spirit. You don’t want the really cheap supermarket own brand stuff, but equally don’t use your best 40-year-old single malt, unless you’re feeling really flush.

Now label it up with the date and the contents, and leave it for at least 6 months, giving it a shake if and when you remember. After that time, strain the fruit off and save for some amazing boozy desserts. Then taste the remaining liquid, adding sugar if

Setting yourself up for simple future autumnal foraging

necessary, although I barely ever do. March. By ordering them as bareroot stock now to plant in the Autumn, you’re making getting them established much easier, and setting yourself up for a far more fruitful future – apologies for the awful pun...

If I had the space to start growing my own ‘wild hedgerow’, these are some of the things I’d be looking at planting, amongst others: • Sloes/Bullaces/Blackthorn/Damson – all members of the Plum family • Hazel or Cobnuts • Hawthorn • Native Dog Rose or Japanese Wild Rose • Elder • Rowan • Medlar • Crab Apples and Wild Pears

Rob also works with restaurants and food companies to bring a taste of the wild to their menus and products.

Please contact him via cotswoldforager@gmail.com or search for Cotswold Forager across social media:

Wild hedgerow planting increases your range of ‘wild’ harvestable produce

If you have the patience, leave for another three to six months, then, if you’re like me, you’ll probably polish off the whole bottle with great friends in one sitting... so make plenty!

Bramble Salt

This one is so simple that I’m almost embarrassed to tell you about it. But it’s one of my favourites, and I bet you’ve never tried it, so what the heck!

Get a single handful of blackberries – ideally mainly sweet ones, although I like to make sure I’ve also got some with a bit more of a sharp bite to them.

Completely mash the blackberries up with roughly the same amount of salt, using basically whatever salt you have to hand.

Leave covered overnight at room temperature, then the next day thinly spread the wet mash mixture out on some greaseproof paper on a baking tray/sheet and put in a low oven (around 80 degrees) for about half an hour.

Once cooled, store in a jar and use as a finishing salt, sprinkled on salads, cooked gamey meats or lamb, or even on homemade popcorn.

• Wild Gooseberries • Juneberries • Autumn Olive • Guelder Rose

All of them are available fairly easily in the UK, and all would contribute greatly to your edible landscape, whilst also providing extra food for the wild animals you share your outdoor space with.

And whilst you’re at it, why not think of planting some bigger edible trees, like Sweet Chestnuts, Walnuts, White Oaks or Black Mulberries? You may not benefit from them yourself, but there’s an inspiring ancient Greek proverb, which paraphrased goes along the lines of this: “The greatest and most forward-thinking people plant trees whose shade they shall

Sloe berries Chestnuts

Black Walnuts Rosehips

never sit in.”

Cobnuts

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