Wildlife and people enjoy the tastes of wild fruits in the summer.
A bucket, hiking boots and some insect repellant will help you get ready for picking.
Mulberries are among the first fruits of the seasons, ripening from late May through July. Birds and Squirrels love them so you'll find the trees full with fruit and song. They’re also a favorite of children, whose blue-stained hands and faces show the fruit’s juicy taste. Mulberries make fine pies and cobblers. The trees grow in a wide variety of places and are common in cities.
A fruit that's often picked when it's still green is the gooseberry. The unripened fruit is tangy and makes terrific pies. The ripe fruit is red and sweet and it’s hard to beat the birds to them. Gooseberries are found June through September in open woods and roadsides.
Blackberries are perhaps the all-time favorite summer wild fruit for raccoons, squirrels, box turtles, birds and people. Ripening in late June through August, blackberries are great fresh, in pies, and as toppings. Look for their briar patches in prairies, old fields and along wooded edges.
Be sure to know what you are picking and respect private property as you enjoy wild fruits this summer.
More about Mulberries:
The wood of the mulberry tree has a number of uses, including fence posts and furniture because of its density and decay-resistance. MDC’s Field Guide on mulberries
More about gooseberries:
The leaves of gooseberries can be used raw in a tossed salad or slaw. They can also be used to make tea. Another name for gooseberry is feverberry, because rumor has it you can crush up the leaves, add them to hot water and get a concoction that will break a fever.
More about blackberries:
These berries are sometimes used in natural healing techniques. The leaves have been known to provide benefits to those suffering from gum inflammation and sore throat. MDC's Field Guide on blackberries.
Check out this tasty recipe and video for blackberry-pecan squares.
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