Since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I've been picking raspberries nearly every summer at the same farm. Originally it was run by my great aunt and uncle; now it's managed by their daughter and her husband.
Over the years, the pick-your-own fruits and vegetables business has suffered greatly. I asked my great aunt why she thinks this might be. She attributes the declining interest to a two-income society that 1) doesn't have the time to pick their own produce between jobs and a pleasure-seeking lifestyle and 2) would rather pay a premium to have someone else do the hard work for them.
I don't think she's way off base in her conclusion. Those reasons, coupled with a government that regulates small farms to near extinction and the toll feminism takes on traditional homemaking has resulted in very few people who have experienced the pleasure of gleaning their own harvest and preserving their food. Even very basic skills like picking berries have almost been lost!
One of the goals of this blog is to help restore such traditions and revive glorious homemaking. So without further ado, here are 10 tips to help you pick a successful raspberry harvest (these generally apply to other fruit-bearing bushes like blueberry, blackberry, and gooseberry)!
Tips for picking raspberries:
- If you don't grow your own, find a patch that's closed on Sundays and go on Monday. The berries will be most plentiful after an extra day to ripen.
- Typically, the nicest berries are found the second or third week into the season.
- If you're picking to make memories, bring the whole family along; if you're on a mission, you may wish to leave small children with a sitter in a place where they can keep cool. Raspberries are grown in direct sunlight and it can get intolerably hot very quickly for babies!
- Go in the early morning or late evening to beat the heat.
- Bring along mosquito repellent if you're going before the sun is at its peak. Mosquitoes love raspberry patches!
- Wear old clothes; raspberries stain! A wide brimmed hat to keep the sun off your face is recommended too.
- Use pints or quarts (my preference) instead of larger baskets to keep the berries from getting squished. Plus, for the same price, you can fit more into six individual quarts than you can in a 6-quart basket. Don't forget to top 'em up!
- Pick with two hands. Set your container on the ground (or inside a berry picking harness) and use your thumb and index finger to roll the berries into your palm. Empty your hands once they are full.
- Work your way from the bottom of the plant to the top. Start on your knees (or squat) so you can get all the berries near ground level without busting your back.
- Take empty quarts with you as you work down the row. Once a quart is full, leave it on the ground and continue picking. When you're finished, get a flat and walk down the row and set all your filled containers inside.
In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. I humbly thank you for your support.
Linking to: The Prairie Homestead, Frugally Sustainable