May is blackberry season here in Florida, so blackberry picking was on our ‘to do’ list (the fun list)! We were lucky to get to spend a day at JG Ranch in Brooksville, FL to gather as many blackberries as we could. JG Ranch is a family owned and operated farm offering, u-pick strawberry, blackberry, and blueberry plants as well as a variety of fresh produce and honey to purchase.
We spent a little more than ½ the day wandering around the farm and picking as many berries as we could carry. We had a relaxing day spent outdoors in the sunshine and in nature, all while thinking about the different recipes we were going to make with these big, beautiful berries!
Excitement got in the way of taking pictures of all the blackberries, but we did happen to snap a couple. We may or may not have got sidetracked with the farm animals. You decide!
Look at these beauties!
The Cows!
And we can’t forget about the chickens!
We spent the last part of the afternoon washing our bounty and freezing what we knew we would not be able to use over the next several days.
To Clean:
To wash the blackberries, we filled a clean sink with cool water and added a cup of white vinegar. Soak for 20 minutes and strain.
To Freeze:
Blackberries freeze well. Be sure they are completely dry, or they will stick together in the freezer. Once dried, spread on a baking sheet and freeze for approximately for 2 hours. Remove from freezer and place in freezer bags. Blackberries will keep for 6 months to 1 year.
Evidence that we did actually pick a ton of berries, although you would never know based on our pictures we snapped!
It was a great way to spend a day. If you get the chance to visit JG Ranch or maybe a pick-em farm next to you, we would highly recommend.
Pro Tip: Wear sunscreen! Somebody got a bad sunburn on her shoulders. Hint, it was not Christine!
Try one (or all!) of our Blackberry recipes. If you have a favorite, we would love for you to share!
Blackberry Lemonade Blackberry Lemonade – Our Southern Charmed Life
Berry Trifle Berry Trifle – Our Southern Charmed Life
Kentucky Black & Blue Jam Kentucky Black & Blue Jam – Our Southern Charmed Life
