Blackberries EVERYWHERE

When we first arrived in Oregon looking for a house we were surprised to find so many blackberry thickets "in town", in fact they were lining the sidewalks and fences just about everywhere one looked. Our daughter who lives "in the country" had thickets that lined the edge of her property and stood over six feet tall. The house we selected had a "small" thicket on the outside of the back fence and along the sidewalks at the end of the street. When spring arrived we soon learned how quickly they grew and how far the vines would reach. When we would go for an afternoon walk we had to keep ducking to get out of the way or carefully brush them aside. Soon the thorns became so large that "brushing" was no longer an option. In fact, I had to get the clippers and cut the invading vines out of our maple trees on the other side of the fence, some of the vines reaching about 10 feet up into the tree.

We learned that some people around here go to U-Pick vineyards and "buy" blackberries to put on their ice cream, use to make jam and jelly, or for baking cobblers or pies. Why "buy" them when they are so plentiful? Well, we went to a U-Pick to find out. The vines are neatly arranged on trellises so you can pick at a convenient height and there are several varieties bearing rather large berries. You can reach all the berries you see to pick. Convenient? Yes. But still "Why pay for something that's growing everywhere?"

Wild growth

U-Pick convenience

So, we decided to walk the sidewalks and fence rows around our house and pick what we found. They were a bit smaller than the U-Pick varieties but we think they have a more distinctive flavor. They are also a bit more difficult to pick; long sleeves are a must and even then I always ended up with scratches on my hands and coming back to pick small thorns out of my fingers. Sandra made jam with the first batch we picked and we had enough to share with neighbors and friends. We carried some back on a trip to Taiwan and it was so well received that we have even carried it back after the increased luggage charges on flights.

Chinese are always drinking tea, and now flavored teas or fruit teas are very popular. We decided to try making blackberry tea. Simply adding about a cup of ripe blackberries to a large pot of brewing tea transforms it into a unique beverage; tasty and thirst quenching.

Ready for brewing

We were having a Mexican Dinner at church and a couple of the Mexican members were preparing the main dishes; other members were preparing the sides. When it came around to us to say what were bringing all that was left was the beverage. So, we decided to bring blackberry tea. Hot, cold, sweetened, and natural - Everybody was surprised and thought we had bought some exotic flavored tea to prepare. They couldn't believe that it came from our backyard. Now everybody's doing it!

Next time you see blackberries growing along the side of the road, sidewalk, or fence stop a few minutes and pick a handful. Take them home, brew them with a teabag, and enjoy one of Life's Pleasures God has made so freely available to us.