Picking Blackberries in Citra with Carol

We arrived in Citra Tuesday evening and Carol called to say, "Want to pick blackberries tomorrow.  I'm hungry for a blackberry pie." 

Ms Carol...
"Let's go pick blackberries!"

This sounded good to me.  I like to pick blackberries but even more, I enjoy eating blackberries.  Put them in a blackberry pie which I don't have to make only eat... done deal! So, Wednesday afternoon we ventured out to Wet Hammock Nursery on Hwy 318 in Citra. 

This is actually part of the Douglass Farm which has an interesting history.  The farm started in 1918 when Frank Douglass left his home, a farm in Lake County FL to become an orange grower.  Over the years the farm included a cattle operation but environmental and generational changes eventually morphed the farm into smaller crops and a U-Pick operation.  

Another picker harvesting berries

Today it is operated by 4th generation Douglass' who want to continue the small farm tradition in central Florida.  OK, back to the blackberries... Wet Hammock is an apt name for the nursery as the ground was wet. 

Huge blackberries awaiting
us to fill the buckets for pie

It may have been from the hour long rain which preceded our trip, the morning watering, or simply the lower ground.  I'll vote for the latter.  Upon arriving at the U-Pick farm we were each given a good sized bucket that should hold 5-6 pounds of berries.

Carol checking the blossoms.

 Now it is good to know how much the bucket will hold so you don't overspend your budget.  Currently blackberries are $5 per pound.  This may seem a bit high for U-Pick items but recall that the pickers must sample a few to insure the berries are ripe and sweet.

Avoid the red or partially ripe berries
Go for those big, fat, dark berries

It doesn't take long to pick a few pounds of berries at this farm as the vines are staked nice and high, the berries are plump and ripe.  After 30 minutes we had more than enough  berries for a pie with spares for snacks and cereal.  There was no need to wash these beauties as they were freshly washed by the earlier rain shower.  By dinner time Carol had created a wonderful Blackberry pie. 

Ms Carol happy with her pie
No bake with fresh huge plump
blackberries

 I asked if we could skip dinner and just eat pie but she said, "No!  Dinner first, the pie is dessert."