Bumper season for berries

IT looks like being a bumper season for wild berry pickers, probably due to the good mixture of heat and moisture which boosted growth during the summer. A profusion of blackberries has resulted.

As well as adding lustre to the countryside, berries, fruits, nuts and cones contain the seeds of a plant and are therefore crucial for the cycle of life. They also provide an important food source for animals and birds over the winter months.

As more people are now looking for natural foods, they don’t have far to go — blackberries can be picked off brambles that grow prolifically on roadside hedges and ditches. Years ago, children were avid blackberry pickers and were well rewarded by delicious jam made from the fruit.