Wild raspberries are quickly approaching the end of their season, but there’s still time to harvest the summer fruit.
LebTown spoke with Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences senior extension associate Kathy Demchak about picking wild raspberries.
Here’s her advice for prospective berry-pickers.
Wild raspberries typically come into season late June and early July, depending on factors including sunlight, hydration, and more. Ripe red raspberries (the variety most common in Lebanon) are a deep red and come off the plant easily.
However, Demchak said, the berries come in and out of season quickly.
“My key point is that is that if you know there are ripe raspberries somewhere, don’t dawdle getting out to get them,” she said.
Raspberry bushes are thorny, and many insects lurk nearby, so Demchak recommends wearing long sleeves and insect repellent, as well as checking for ticks once finished.
“Of course, always wear a hat,” she added. “It’s always a good idea to keep flies and things like that away from you.”
She recommends berry picking early in the morning, before the day’s heat sets in.
On top of that, be sure to store the berries in a wide container, stacking no more than a few berries high. The hollow fruits, Demchak said, can be easily crushed.
“Take a container that’s more shallow, or several containers so that your berries don’t get squished along the way,” she explained.
Once picked, raspberries spoil quickly. Demchak recommends bringing a cooler when picking, and refrigerating the berries as soon as you get home to avoid mold.
“Wash them, refrigerate them, process them as fast as you can because they can start going downhill pretty quick, especially in the seed,” she explained. “If you look at the berry itself, it’s structured so that there are a lot of nooks and crannies, so it’s easy for them to get mold.”
But don’t wait to use them too long! Demchak noted that they can grow and spread mold soon after picking even when refrigerated, so be sure to snack on or bake them within a few days of picking.
Demchak also advised pickers to look out for wild wineberries — the wild invasive plant’s dark red berries are also edible, but their taste is distinct from raspberries.
“Some people love them, some people don’t, and it might have something to do with the variation in the population,” Demchak explained, noting that like raspberries, wineberries come in many varieties.
Raspberries are great for pies, other baked goods, or just snacking. So get picking!
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