Picking Black Raspberries

So, in years past my Dad would drive us up north to pick fresh blackberries in the mountains. It was really popular with a lot of people and often there wouldn't be many berries. There were a couple of years when it would just be my Dad and I spending the day together picking berries. The secret is to get a large plastic cup and fill them as full as you can. That way the berries don't get squished or bruised in a ziplock baggie, etc. I always had fun, and it's one of my fondest memories of spending time with my Dad. Joe has even gone up with Grandpa a few times to pick raspberries and make jam. He's talked about it often, reminding me that he knows how to make jam because Grandpa showed him how.

Imagine my surprise when we discovered a TON of fresh raspberry bushes within a block or two of our house here in England. The last couple of days the kids and I have been picking berries, only the ripe ones, and then go back every couple of days to pick a few more hoping that more are ripe. Today we found a small path that we took to find a HUGE amount of bushes that have yet to be picked. Joe was ecstatic. Joci doesn't enjoy getting scratched while picking the berries and is perfectly happy to just eat what Joe and I pick.

The best part is that my parents are coming to visit us next Thursday, and we can't wait to show them all the bushes. We also decided that Grandpa and Joe can make some raspberry jam while he's there.

We skyped with my parents just to show them how many we had the first day and they thought it was pretty cool. The first time we picked about 6 cups, today it was about 8 cups. We'll probably go back tomorrow to our new 'secret' spot, and get some more.

Joci's face after eating at least 1/2 cup or more of raspberries right off the bush.

Joe standing in front of a HUGE bush of raspberries along our secret path.

Our take. All three cups had been completely full before Joci got to them. :)