The Berries are Coming! The Berries are Coming!
 
We've been keeping our fingers crossed that berries would ripen in time for our scheduled opening. With the cooler weather sticking around Texas longer than normal, the berries have been content to just stay shades of white and grey. Doesn't sound very appetizing…and isn't so good for picking. Well, after wandering the blackberry fields (there are 3.5 acres of blackberries and 5.5 acres of blueberries) and picking almost 2 gallons of blackberries that had finally ripened, I think we'll have some ripened berries for picking. And just in time to open on June 1st (that's next Tuesday!!!)
It's finally here! Well for the blackberries. Please remember that ONLY BLACKBERRIES will be ready for picking for the next couple weeks. Blueberries still have a couple weeks to go.
 We will continue to keep you updated with the newsletter once a week and on facebook. Speaking of facebook, have you found us yet? Click on the Facebook icon at left, or search for Bailey's Berry Patch and click on 'Like' at the top of the page for regular goings on at the Patch!
Starting June 1
We’ll be open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, Sunday
from 8:00 AM until 3:00 PM.
(REMEMBER! We're closed Fridays and Mondays!)
Housekeeping
Alright. Here's the down and dirty, serious portion of our newsletter. It's gotta be done for a fun, successful, enjoyable and memorable season for all (which is what we're all about!)
We sent out some new rules last week that were sent to us by the FDA, and we got a lot of feedback and questions. Here's a reminder of those rules, with a running commentary provided by yours truly, Gaela Renee:
1. Wash your hands properly before entering the berry fields.
If we have learned anything in the last year in the good ol' US of A, it's the importance of hand washing (anyone remember swine flu breakouts?). And being on a farm you learn to wash your hands A LOT. We'll get you taken care of with the best soap you can get your hands on! Courtesy of lavender soap from Lavender Ridge Farms and my mama's 'Almost Famous Homemade Soap'. I promise you'll want to keep washing your hands just so you can use the soap!
2. Use a clean bucket supplied by the farm.
Really, it's just better this way. It keeps things nice and organized and everyone pays the same, fair price for their berries. Don't worry, we'll keep those buckets clean for you!
3. No unattended children are allowed in the field.
Oh, this is a biggie. We love children. We love to see children having a good time. We know that your children can do no wrong. We see your children running amok among the thorny blackberries, tripping and getting attacked by thorns. *Sigh* Help us prevent this kind of situation (or one where a child falls into the catfish pond). Nobody wants to have to tell someone else's child to behave. It makes us (and by us I definitely mean me) feel awkward, and makes you defensive (admit it….it's true). That being said, we want this to be a family experience and generally that means family togetherness. With your children constantly and lovingly by your side at all times. Stuck to you like glue with their sweet, cherub berry-stained faces.
P.S. While it's not something we enjoy, if we do see unattended children we will be sure to correct the situation and/or them as necessary for the safety and enjoyment of everyone.
Thank you, have a nice day.
4. Children cannot use the regular farm supplied buckets (1 gallon pails).
 We could not find a specified age for 'children' in regard to this rule, so we will define children as those without the discernment or self-control to only pick ripe berries and put them in the bucket. Children are most often precious, curious creatures who are so excited about the picking experience that they like to pick up rocks, sticks, leaves, mud, bugs and unripe berries and put them into the bucket. This is no bueno for our berry cleaner. Please continue to rule 5...
5. We do have “special buckets” for the children.
By special, we mean that they are smaller, easier to carry, buckets with your child's name on it that they get to keep forever and ever. It's their very own bucket and they can put whatever they want in it (hopefully with them stuck like glue to you they'll even get some good, ripe berries of their own). We've had some people concerned with the cost of paying for each of their children to have their own bucket. The buckets are replacing the quart size bags we used to use for children and is about the same cost to you. We absolutely understand that everyone has had their financial hardships the last couple of years and if you have multiple children it adds up quick. If you are visiting us under a strict budget and have multiple children we recommend budgeting $5 per child for their berries (and bucket). The $5 flat rate is for the bucket and whatever they put in it. The berries they pick are included in that $5 rate. There is no additional charge for the berries in their bucket.
6. Do not mix the berries that the children have picked with yours.
All this means is that when you have had all the berry picking you can handle, please don't take your child's 'special bucket' and dump the contents into your beautiful, tasty and carefully picked bucket of berries. This is for two important reasons. 1. You will be charged a flat rate of $5 for your child's bucket and berries. If you dump their berries into your bucket, you'll end up paying for them again and that just doesn't make sense. 2. All the dirt, rocks, leaves, etc. that they put in their bucket will be transferred into your bucket. Your bucket's contents will then be put through our berry cleaner. All that stuff will then cause great damage to the cleaner and will then destroy our business and livelihood because no one will come pick our berries because we can't clean them. This is bad.
Ah Yes, There is More…
Have you noticed we're very serious about the berry cleaner? What is it and why should you care? Well, let me first point out that the berry cleaner is only for the blueberries. Sorry to discriminate, blackberries, but you're so delicate that you can not handle the cleaning machine. It's not that we don't love you. The blueberry cleaner is to help us help you. If you've come with children, you will probably be taking home your quota of dirt, sticks, and leaves (they're drawn to children like white cat hair on black pants. It's scientific fact.) The cleaner is a fancy-shmancy machine that we will process your carefully picked blueberries through to get rid of excess dirt, small twigs, and unripe berries. This does not mean that your blueberries are washed. After we run the blueberries through the cleaner we'll bag them up for you and send you on your merry way. Then when you get home, you can take out your beautiful, fresh blueberries and wash them (or not wash them…we eat ‘em off the bush) and go berry crazy!
Why is it that we don't run the blackberries through the cleaner? Well, the blackberries are a little more delicate and squishy. Yep, squishy. But they're so dang good we love 'em for it. Basically the less you actually handle blackberries the better because nobody wants to go home with blackberry mush. So, when you pick them, you put them in a bucket lined with a plastic bag. Then when you are finished picking we just pull the bag out of the bucket, put a twist-tie on it and hand it back over. Nobody else touches your blackberries but you.
My final note on the blueberry cleaner (for this newsletter, anyway): The contents of the child's bucket will not be processed through the cleaner. *Gasp* I know, shocking. This is not age discrimination or because we just don't want to. Kids will be kids. Kids like to put anything and everything in their bucket. For real. That anything and everything CAN NOT go through the berry cleaner (please reread the rules above for further clarification). We also recognize that your children will be successful at putting good, ripe berries in their bucket. Even though you can't add them to your bucket to put them through the cleaner, once you get home, you can take them out, wash them off and add them to your collection and they'll be just as good and clean.
A Few More Nuggets of Wisdom
1. It's a farm. There is dirt. There are bugs. We keep the areas around the berry cleaner and barn as clean as humanly possible. The rest is nature at it's dirty, buggy best. This borderline OCD hand-washer and bug hater from the city is still coming to terms with it, but is coming to a mutual understanding with the bugs. They don't bother me, I don't bother them. There’s no shame in walking away. The exception to this rule is the mosquitoes…they are happy to bother us all. If you are sensitive to mosquitoes, I would recommend dousing yourself with your favorite repellent.
2. It's summertime! In Texas. It's HOT!! That is why we open early and close early. Did you know the morning is the coolest part of the day? It's only gonna get hotter. Please please please be sure to hydrate yourself and your family! You are welcome to bring a picnic or whatever with you, but we will have drinks and snacks available for purchase. We will also be keeping a lot of wonderful ice water handy at no charge.
3. What to wear. If anyone is like me and you're wondering what to wear to a pick-your-own farm (this is important stuff in my world!), I highly recommend a hat, closed toe shoes and sunscreen. Anything else in between is open to your own fashionable preferences. However, please keep in mind this is a family friendly place and dress accordingly. Just sayin' is all. Oh and you will get dirty and you will sweat. So, dress comfortably and coolly.
4. Don't Mix it up! As with some things in the world that don't mix well, but somehow go together (like oil and vinegar), do not mix blueberries and blackberries when picking. They must go in separate buckets and stay separated. It's just the way the world works.
Miscellaneous
We do not permit pets on the premises, with the exception of service animals. And if you do have a service animal, said animal must be wearing his/her/its uniform. We LOVE animals (obviously) and we would love to meet your pets, but we can’t do it during berry season.
We also do not permit smoking anywhere there is food or children…that means out in the fields where the berries are or by the buildings. If you absolutely must smoke, please see a staff member and we can direct you to an area where you can take care of this, but it may be a little bit of a hike.
No alcohol. Period.
The All Important Question
How much does it cost? Blueberries and blackberries both cost $14 per bucket, which is a little over a gallon. We will have snacks and drinks for sale, as well as our country store where you can buy pickles and preserves and some other very interesting items. There is no cost for wandering the fields, enjoying the sunshine, chatting up the staff, getting dirty, laughing and having a good time.
We are so very excited to meet everyone this season. Thank you to all our folks who keep coming back year after year, and WELCOME to our first-timers. We’ll show you the ropes and hope to make it an experience you come back for, too.
And Now for the Fun Part… Recipe!
 BLACKBERRY JAM
(7 or 8 half-pint jars)
Ingredients
9 cups crushed blackberries
6 cups sugar
Directions
Sterilize canning jars. Combine berries and sugar. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Cook rapidly to or almost to, jelling point, depending upon whether a firm or soft jam is desired. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking. Pour hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼ -inch head space. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process 5 minutes in boiling water bath. Note: If seedless jam is preferred, crushed berries may be heated until soft and pressed through a sieve or food mill, then add sugar and process as above.
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