If blackberries were growing in your garden…

[hugebuyersremorse]

Would you pick and eat them? The actual bush they’re growing on nobody owns and it’s behind our back fence, but it’s overgrown and has curved over our fence. I’d say there are probably easily 50 or more ripe blackberries within reach.

DH has said a dog might have done its business on the roots of the bush… (😂) so he’s not so sure about it. I can’t see a problem, surely no different from fruit that you buy from the supermarket.

YABU - don’t eat them
YANBU - pick them and eat them!! winning

I was taught always to pick them above dog/foxleg-cocking level, but otherwise, go for it.

I do try and remove brambles from the garden itself, though.

Rude, no need for that

Depends on whether they are likely to have grown on ground containing chemicals/pesticides etc.

That's always the problem picking random stuff. You don't know what is in it.

I don't like them but my daughter would have them! I pick them to make blackberry and plum gin 😁(i have a plum tree)

I won't pick any lower than great dane height, but anything else is fair game!

Your OH might want to look at how the farmers spread their manure before planting crops. Crops that are then sold for food......

I don't even do that, except for guests, Mind, I might not be he best example, having just gone down with an almighty tummy bug - but it is my first 35 years, and I put it down to undercooked meatballs, not the odd insect in my blackberries.

We have raspberry and blackberry bushes behind our house
and us and neighbour eat them. I do wash them first though by soaking in water and lemon juice - I know some people are not squeamish about the bugs but the thought of eating the little worm things that come floating to the top of the water after the soak give me the boak.

Does he eat mushrooms?

To be fair there is a huge difference between manure and dog shit.

As per username - go for it, but always pick above dog wee height! Dont pick kerbside either (car exhaust). Rinse well before enjoying!

Have made blackberry and apple crumbles for the freezer, juice, jelly etc. Love blackberries and free harvest!

Agree with anything above waist height being fair game! I pick and eat them all the time when I can. 😋

Yes, they are. Tonnes of them.
Prickly, fluffy.
Thank you very much 😁

I stand by my assessment 🤷‍♀️

I live by a disused railway and I along with many other go black berry picking all the time. I usually do it when I’m walking my dog.

I was always taught to soak blackberries in salty water before use, then rince thoroughly. Gets rid of any little bugs but also anything else that can be lurking. Pollutants being key here as we’re in London.

I've been doing this all week!

Exactly. It’s a bit shocking sometimes how far removed people are from their food.