North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Jim Fruth" <jfruth@tds.net>]

   Hey folks, it wasn't my intention to create a controversy about which 
fruits can be harvested with a berry picker.  I offered the information for 
anyone who might find a berry picker useful since it is not an item that can 
be picked up at the local hardware store.
   A berry picker is worthless for picking my domestic blueberries too but 
it works great for wild blueberries.  It takes most of the tedium out of 
picking lingonberries.  I bought my first one for picking Pin Cherries 
(Prunus pennsylvanica).  Pin Cherries are a real pain to 
pick.....................and slow.  They are tiny and each fruit is on its 
own stem.  A picker makes the chore almost tolerable.
   When using a berry picker, I get lots of leaves in the process which I 
separate by dribbling the pick in front of a box (window) fan.  You can 
separate berries from leaves by swirling them in water - most of the leaves 
float but a fan works better.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
For jams, jellies, syrups and more:
www.jellygal.com
1-877-265-6856 (Toll Free)
1-218-831-7018 (My Cell)