Mulberries!!!!

I. LOVE. Mulberries.

I love the taste of mulberries, I love picking mulberries and most of all I love the memories that come with picking mulberries. If you have never picked or eaten mulberries you must add it to you adventure list! 

Mulberry Tips:

The best way to pick mulberries is while riding a horse:
At my grandparents in Nebraska my horse Midnight and I would go racing down the dirt road, along the canal and to our secret mulberry trees. From his back I could reach tons of mulberries, as long as I snatched them before he did! We could come home hours later, hot, tired and stained purple. Picking from the platform of a John Deere 4440 works well too, plus you can cultivate a row or two while your out!

Hide the Evidence:
If you don't want to give away the location of your tree or share the berries you will need to hide the evidence. This is tricky.  After picking berries your hands (and possibly face and other body parts) will be stained purple. It doesn't come off easy. I found the best solution is to stop at the shop and work on a broken tractor (there always seems to be one around) then no one will notice the purple under all the grease!

Note: the lack of purple stains just means I hadn't picked enough yet. 

Collect Enough to Make A Pie:

Hmm... I have never collected enough to make a pie. The bucket never seems to get full. But it sounds like a good idea!! If you have made one please let me know how it turned out!! 

Watch for Critters:

Critters are not dumb. They too know how yummy mulberries are on a hot day. Birds, bears, horses, snakes, bees, WATCH OUT!! If you are wading through weeds or climbing the trees be sure to wear boots and long pants. 

Find or Plant Trees: 

On the farm in Nebraska mulberry trees were everywhere! Here they are a little fewer in between. But don't panic! If you are not sure mulberries grow in your area check with you local forestry specialist or keep your eyes open. Mulberries grow in most of the U.S. and if you can't find a wild tree you can order trees to plant. Just make sure you purchase the correct variety for you area. 

Enjoy!!