Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Raspberries and Blackberries Help Prevent Cancers

   Raspberries and blackberries are high in anti-oxidants that can help prevent some types of cancers.  Black raspberries have the highest levels of anti-oxidants of any temperate-zone fruits, and blackberries have the second-highest levels.  Next highest are black currants, then purple raspberries, then black grapes, then blueberries, then red raspberries.  The blueberry industry has good public relations so everyone thinks of them when they hear anti-oxidants, but actually black raspberries, blackberries and purple raspberries have much higher levels. The darker the fruit, the higher the amounts of color-producing anthocyanins, which are anti-oxidants.
Black raspberries ripen from green to orange to red to purple and finally to deep black, when they're ready to pick.  Black raspberries have the highest levels of cancer-fighting anti-oxidants of any temperate-zone fruits
   Many red raspberries and black raspberries are ripe now until July 4 or so, and many people have been picking them.  Purple raspberry harvest will run from about June 20 to July 14 or so, and thornless blackberry harvest will run from about June 24 to about Aug. 8.
P.E. Davis of Pittsburg (left) and Susan Newby of Coffeyville (right) were among many who picked raspberries on Tuesday morning June 17.  Both of them picked both red raspberries and black raspberries.
    As always, raspberries and blackberries, like all our berries, are sold pick-your-own only.  Raspberries are $1.86 per pint + tax pick-your-own, and blackberries are $2.55 per quart + tax pick-your-own.  We provide containers, and just ask that you return them for reuse if you make another trip to Brenda's Berries & Orchards.
   From June 1 to Aug. 31, we're open Mon. to Sat. 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon & 7-9 p.m., and Sun. 7-9 p.m. only.  We're closed Sun. mornings for church, and closed every afternoon from 12 noon to 7 p.m. due to high summer heat.
Red raspberries are very plentiful now, so we have enough for many pickers on weekday mornings and most evenings.
   We have plenty of red raspberries and black raspberries now for many pickers on weekday mornings.  If you want to come on a Sat. morning (our busiest time), or an evening, phone a day or so in advance and I'll put you on the calendar, and call you to reschedule if we get picked out or it's going to rain that day.  Also phone ahead for the first week or so of purple raspberry harvest or thornless blackberry harvest, when the ripe berries are limited and many people want to pick them.
   We still have harvested asparagus, harvested apples, and cracked pecans for sale, during our open hours.  Scroll down and click on "Older Posts" for Prices.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Many Red Raspberries & Black Raspberries Ripe Now

Valerie and David Eck enjoyed picking 16 pints of red raspberries on June 11.
   Many red raspberries and black raspberries are ripe now till about July 4.  Pick-your-own raspberries will run from June 4 to about July 14 this year.  Purple raspberries will be ripe about June 18 to July 14.  Scroll down for prices.
Black raspberries have just started ripening. 
    As always, raspberries (and all other berries) are sold pick-your-own only.  From June 1 to Aug. 31, we're open Mon. to Sat. 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon & 7-9 p.m., and Sun. 7-9 p.m. only.  We're closed Sun. mornings for church, and closed every afternoon from 12 noon to 7 p.m. due to high summer heat.  (We've had these same summer hours for 14 years now.)
The Schmidt girls, their parents and grandparents had a great time picking red raspberries, though the newest Schmidt, just 14 days old, slept through his first trip to Brenda's Berries.
    If you plan on picking more than 8 pints of raspberries, phone & leave a message letting me know which day & time you'd like to come pick, and which types of raspberries, and I'll put you on the calendar.  Give a phone number where I can reach you in case it's going to rain that day.
    We still have harvested asparagus for sale, harvested apples, and cracked pecans, during our open hours.  Scroll down and click on "Older Posts" for prices.
Thornless blackberries will be ripe about June 20 to Aug. 8. Our workers have been very busy mulching the thornless blackberries, and going over the planting yet again to prune out winter-damaged canes. The thornless blackberry crop will be only about 1/3 the amount of the 2013 crop due to winter damage.
Our workers Brandon Ledford (left) and Ben Miller (center) mulch the thornless blackberries, while Abby Dominguez (right) and Rachael Triebel (behind Brandon) prune out winter-damaged canes.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Red Raspberries Ripening

   Red raspberries have started ripening, and customers picked 5 pints this evening.  During the first week or so of the red raspberry season, we schedule customers to ensure people get enough.  Phone 620-597-2450 and leave a message to let us know when you'd like to pick raspberries.  Red raspberries will continue ripening until July 4 or so, and will be heavy from about June 16 to 30.
Red raspberries have just started ripening, and will continue ripening until July 4 or so.
   Black raspberries will be ripe about June 10 to July 4, and purple raspberries will be ripe about June 18 to July 14.  Raspberries are quite cold-hardy, so we should have good crops of all three types of raspberries this year.  Raspberries are sold pick-your-own only, for $1.86 per pint + tax.
   During June, July and August, we're open our summer hours: open Monday to Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon, and 7 to 9 p.m.  On Sundays we're open 7 to 9 p.m. only.  We're closed Sunday mornings for church, and closed every afternoon from 12 noon to 7 p.m. due to summer heat.  If you tell others about us, please let them know the open hours.
On June 1 we put up our Summer Hours sign.  We're open these hours until Aug. 31.
   We still have many 'Enterprise' and some 'GoldRush' apples from last fall for sale, kept in top condition in our cooler.  We also still have harvested fresh asparagus and cracked 'Kanza' pecans.  Phone 620-597-2450 and leave a message to let us know when you plan to come get apples, asparagus and/or pecans.  Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Older Posts" for prices.