Wild fruit picking

[rubydust]

I love to pick the wild fruit that grows abundantly in the countryside. I'll take a container, and pick ad much as I can to take home. It beats paying the extortionate prices at the supermarket! We have plenty of wild raspberry and blackberry bushes. In woodland areas, you can often find blaeberries growing close to the ground on the forest floor.

Do you have any wild fruit growing where you live?

 

[thomas pendrake]

I live in Florida where there is abundant wild fruit. The hog plum (several wild plums in Florida are called this) is a favorite, as well as sparkleberries and blackberries. The hog plum I am talking about has small tart red fruit that somewhat resembled a cherry. It will have some yellow on it. When ripe it is less tart and has an intense plum taste. Sparkleberries are in bhe blueberry family but have an intense blueberry taste, They are black and shiny and the plant can be as much as 20 feet tall. Sparkleberries are also called high-bush huckleberries. Sparkleberry pie or cobbler is a genuine treat, and the jelly, jam, or preserves is the best. Wild cherry also makes a great jelly, and hog-plum jelly is the absolute favorite jelly of Crackers.

 

[claudine]

In the woods in my area, there are small blueberries, blackberries and wild strawberries. I've never tried picking them, because I'm too scared of parasites and bacteria. I'd much rather eat fruits from my own garden, at least I can be sure they're clean. I'm a germaphobe

 

[firelily99]

Not where I am living right now but around the state we do have plenty of spots with wild berries, plums, etc. If you wash the fruit before you eat it you will be fine. You get the same parasites in your garden.

 

[rubydust]

@ Thomas - Those sound like some delicious fruits. I love hearing about species from around the world that we do not have here. I've never made a pie with the fruit before - that's a good idea.

@ Claudine - I wouldn't worry too much about parasites. As Firelily says, you'll be fine as long as you give them a good wash. I try to avoid picking berries that are right next to a public path though, I'm a little bit paranoid in case a dog might have done its business there!

 

[thomas pendrake]

In the woods in my area, there are small blueberries, blackberries and wild strawberries. I've never tried picking them, because I'm too scared of parasites and bacteria. I'd much rather eat fruits from my own garden, at least I can be sure they're clean. I'm a germaphobe

You should research the hygiene hypothesis. Being a germaphobe can cause serious health problems. You don't want to drnk raw sewage, but your immune system will attack you if it doesn't have anything else to do. You are not made to live in a sterile world.

 

[claudine]

You should research the hygiene hypothesis. Being a germaphobe can cause serious health problems. You don't want to drnk raw sewage, but your immune system will attack you if it doesn't have anything else to do. You are not made to live in a sterile world.

I know that living in a sterile world would be bad for me, but I really can't eat dirty foods or stop washing my hands.
Of course being a germaphobe isn't a good thing, but I can't help it. My phobias are stronger than I am

 

[thestoryteller1]

There are few plum trees in front of my apartment building, but nothing else such. When I was little we have land a little up in mountain and we use to have fruit trees and go there to take care of them. In the way to there there were always a lot of blackberries and sometimes raspberries. I still think none of those that I have bought in a store tasted anything like them.

 

[thomas pendrake]

@ Thomas - Those sound like some delicious fruits. I love hearing about species from around the world that we do not have here. I've never made a pie with the fruit before - that's a good idea.

@ Claudine - I wouldn't worry too much about parasites. As Firelily says, you'll be fine as long as you give them a good wash. I try to avoid picking berries that are right next to a public path though, I'm a little bit paranoid in case a dog might have done its business there!

Where are you from? What wild fruits are found there?

 

[claudine]

Firelily99 - I'm not sure about it. Wild animals don't visit my garden, it's fenced off.
Rubydust - I'm paranoid about it too. But I think that dogs carry less parasites than deers, boars and other wild animals. Anyway, I prefer to eat clean and safe fruits and vegetables from my own garden

 

[rubydust]

@ Thestoryteller - You're right, they never seem to taste as good from the shops. You reminded me, when I was a child, there was a place we would play where there were yellow raspberries. They were delicious. I've never seen them anywhere since.

@ Thomas - I'm from Scotland. The most abundant wild fruits here are raspberries, blackberries, and in woodland you can find plenty of blaeberries.

 

[Rosyrain]

There are an abundant amount of blackberries for the picking right now where I live, and I actually picked a bunch this morning. The amount I got would have probably costed me about $10 at the grocery store. You are fine to pick wild fruit if you wash it carefully before eating it. I have been picking since I was a kid and still have not gotten sick or a parasite.

 

[MindyT]

I do not like to pick wild fruit because I am afraid I will be poisoned. If I am in someone's yard or garden and they have bushes or trees, I will pick and eat the fruit. If I am in a forest or an unknown place, I would never eat any wild fruit. Too scared. Growing up, my best friend's dad went mushroom hunting. He did it alot. He had a guidebook too. One time, he picked and ate the wrong mushroom, and he ended up in the hospital for 6 days. They had to pump his stomach and give him antibiotics and a whole bunch of medicines just from eating one mushroom. No way!