Blackberry Fields Forever

Blackberry season makes me think of winding country paths, baskets overflowing with ripe berries, and fingertips stained dark lilac.

But really, blackberries are usually thorny tangled messes with unpredictable berry quality. You’ll find yourself reconsidering picking them with the odd council issued warning, perhaps thumbtacked to a nearby tree: “Do not eat these berries. We poisoned them.” Only once I noticed that someone had followed through, a rare instance of unmistakable blue weed killer staining a few leaves, like the council’s half-hearted attempt at a threat.

There are old foragers, there are bold foragers, but there are no old bold foragers.

Foraging isn’t without its risks. Misidentifying plants or mushrooms by overlooking a key feature can lead to eating something toxic. Allergies and sensitivities also play a role; for example, slippery jack mushrooms are high on the FODMAP scale. Cooking mistakes, like undercooking morels, can leave heat-sensitive toxins intact. Environmental factors, like heavy metals in soil or car exhaust, add another layer of risk, as do herbicides sprayed by councils.

While I’ve never poisoned myself, I once had to shit behind a tree, learning the hard way that dock root is best enjoyed in moderation.

Just about everyone can correctly identify a blackberry. The risk with blackberries is poisoning from herbicide. To mitigate the risk, there are lots of different things you can do.

• Contact the local council to confirm when blackberries were last sprayed, and what herbicide they use. Confirm whether they use a blue tracer dye alongside the herbicide, as this can help identify recently sprayed areas. However, don’t rely solely on the dye, as it can wash off over time.

• Don't pick from shriveled plants or plants with discoloured leaves, this is an indication of poisoning. Keep in mind it takes 2-4 days for the plants to look like they've been poisoned.

• Don't eat huge amounts.

• Wash fruit before eating.

Glyphosate damage on blackberry. Photo credits: Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California,

Nearly all Victorian councils rely on glyphosate, a widely used herbicide found in products like Roundup. As long as an area hasn't been treated in the past month, the risk of exposure is relatively low, since glyphosate breaks down in the environment over time.

Drinking the concentrated chemical would be highly toxic. But the tiny amounts that might be present in a basket of berries are very different from swallowing the concentrated product. You would have to eat a truckload of blackberries with trace pesticide levels to reach any kind of immediate danger zone.

The leaves of a blackberry showing discolouration and deformaties associated with Glyphosate

That said, repeated low level exposure can accumulate. And there is still ongoing scientific debate about what that might mean over the long term, including whether regular glyphosate exposure carries cancer risks.

Despite the occasional spraying in all my favourite spots, I'm not deterred. Darebin Creek, Merri Creek, Mount Macedon, King Lake, and Lake Elizabeth remain abundant and healthy looking. I’ve yet to see signs of consistent spraying, but as always, forage at your own risk.

When I go picking, the thorns are always more vengeful than I remember. It's ok, pain reminds me that I'm alive. If I don’t carelessly prickle my hands, I’ll inevitably snag one of my ridiculous foraging dresses. I know I should wear sensible foraging clothes, but I insist on living out my forest princess fantasy in a long, lace dress. To avoid prickling yourself, wear a glove on one hand to hold the branches, leaving the other hand bare for berry picking.

The best times to pick around Melbourne are February – April. April is my favourite season for foraging, you can multitask and get a vibrant mixed basket of goodies.

Once you have the berries, bake into pies, crumble, cakes, or make jam. Serve alongside cheese, add to leafy goat cheese salad, or serve them with red meat. Muddle them in cocktails.

The leaves are edible – but pregnant people should avoid consuming them as it induces contractions (so may cause miscarriage). They're medicinal for gut inflammation, blood sugar stability, and menstrual cramps. The leaves make a lovely tea and can be used to flavour things like jelly or panna cotta. You can pickle them or use them as a substitute for grape leaves.