To not want to buy blackberries in the supermarket as I think of them as 'free'

[Cinammoncake]

When I was a kid we often picked them, they just seemed to be everywhere. I don't see them where I live now, and I do like them, but feel like it's a rip off to buy them, and they always seem expensive. Anyone else? AIBU

Loads grow where I am. It's one of my son's favourite things to get free food from a bush!

I cringe when I see small packets of chives, rosemary or laurel for sale. For gods sake just pick it in the field/nick it from some overhang. The stuff is everywhere.

Absolutely tons grow down my road, more than anyone ever picks. Yabu as picking takes hours and hours out of my life (with the kids) and I'm pretty sure if you asked around you could find some, and freeze some for when they're not in season.

@FruityWidow as a sort of rumtopf with the whisky? Unfortunately I hate whisky but I assume brandy does the same?

If you want them for free, then you need to choose the right time of year, find some bushes, pick them and wash them. I.e. a lot of time and effort.

If you want the convenience of someone else sourcing them, picking them, washing them, and transporting them to where you want them, then I'm afraid you need to pay for that convenience.

YABU

If you want blackberries this time of year you would need to buy them. But when they’re in season you’d be wasting your money! I could literally pick lbs of them walking home from school with the DCs!

spongejack blackberry gin or vodka make excellent long drinks when mixed with lemonade or soda water.

Alternatively try blackberry brandy - very similar to port in flavour

Blackberries can also be used to make a creme de mure (blackberry liqueur) same recipe as for creme de cassis but with blackberries instead of blackcurrants.

I have never found blackberrying a chore - headphones on listening to an audiobook - heaven.

@spongejack cheapest spirit you can find. Vodka, brandy, rum they all work. Just add plenty of sugar and leave for a few months.
This is a good recipe twothirstygardeners.co.uk/2012/09/how-to-make-blackberry-brandy-or-gin-or-vodka/

Thank you @GnomeDePlume and @FruityWidow I'm picking my own blackberries next year and its blackberry gin!

if you have no freezer space you could bottle them (with or without apples)- then you have instant pie or crumble filling

I live in a place where blackberries grown like weeds during the season, but many of them don’t taste good. I guess (haven’t tried) that the ones in the supermarket all taste good. So, I suppose it depends upon how much you like the taste, and if you like it then it may be worth paying for them.

if you have no freezer space you could bottle them (with or without apples)- then you have instant pie or crumble filling

You could. It’s not the same as fresh blackberries though.

We have reasonable quantities of jam and jelly from my MIL.

CarolinaPink I think blackberry jelly tastes best when made with a real mix of blackberries from the wonderfully sweet to the sour. IME supermarket berries are another fruit which is grown to look good but doesnt taste of anything in particular.

How funny, that's always what I think when I see them in supermarkets - it’s like seeing daisies or rosehips on sale! So I don’t buy them, even though I absolutely love blackberries. I don’t like buying bottled water for the same reason.

Been put off wild blackberries ever since I saw a massive dog cock his leg at a blackberry bush and piss absolutely all over it. That image will stay with me.

I have them in my garden, but wrong time of year, used up the last of the frozen ones at Christmas

Wild ones are great at the right time of year, much tastier than supermarket ones.. But if you want them the other 10 months of the year, you have to buy them

I just pick them when they are in season and make loads and loads of jam! Then sell it at a nice profit.

I also freeze loads. I just love picking them for free and making a jar of jam for 20p. Everyone loves my blackberry jam.

I could never buy them.

Oh yeah, @Pukkatea, always pick above dog leg height

You can't pick them after October 23rd ( if I remember correctly) because the devil weed in them on that date and makes them sour!

Never would I ever buy them

*wees on them

I still have a freezer full of the ones I picked in the autumn, must make a crumble

I pick stacks every summer and freeze so I've got free ones all year 😁

Well YANBU but I think you'd be hard pushed to find a decent crop in an English January!

Anyone who buys supermarket blackberries at this time of year is being fucking unreasonable because they will have likely been grown in a country light on water resources and flown thousands of miles to your table. No one in this country needs Mexican berries. We need to remember how to eat local seasonally produced goods and cut air miles.