SUMMER MONTHS BEST FOR BERRIES

Blackberry pickers in the wild know about prickly vines, chiggers and itching. They also know about blackberry cobbler, blackberry dumplings and blackberry cordials.

June and July are blackberry picking months in Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri.

Blackberries grow wild in most Midwestern states and are produced commercially in a number of states including Arkansas and Missouri.

"The wild berries are great this year," said Edd Billingsley, an educator of horticulture with the University of Illinois Extension Service at Marion, Ill. "I have observed berries as large as the end of my thumb on wild blackberry vines."

The vines are plentiful throughout the Southern Illinois area, from Mt. Vernon south.

But that's not the case with some commercial blackberry operations, say a couple of Missouri growers.

"The quality is good," said Lucas Georger, of Advance. "But, the quantity is lacking."

Georger, who has been raising blackberries for more than a decade, said the winter freeze damaged about 90 percent of his crop.

"You see some nice berries, but not many of them," he said.

Georger started raising blackberries following his retirement as a row crop farmer. With more than 1,000 blackberry vines, he operates a "Pick-your-own" farm.

The Fred Morgan Farm, north of Oran also suffered from the 1993-94 freeze. A spokesman said the '94 crop was down about a third to a half.

"We pick every other day," said the spokesman. "A year ago we were picking about 120 quarts each time. This year, we are getting 60 to 70 quarts. But the berries are of good quality."

The Morgan Farm sells most of its berries commercially.

Commercial blackberries can be harvested two ways. All berries harvested to be sold as fresh fruit are picked by hand. Berries to sold for processing may be harvested by machines which literally shake the berries from the vines.

Teresa Meier, of the University of Missouri Extension Service at Jackson, has several backyard blackberry vines. The vines produce about a gallon of berries every other day, she said.

"Tame berries are easy to pick," she said. "They don't have the briars."

Meanwhile, the wild berry crop continues to attract pickers.

"Rains have been spaced out this year and the berries look good," said Billingsley. "There are a lot of vines in the Shawnee National Forest, and along fence rows on private farms."

Billingsley suggested pickers first should get permission from land owners before going on private land.

"Most of the land owners don't want to fool with the briars, weeds and chiggers," said Billingsley. "Of course, a good way to thank a landowner if picking is permitted is to drop off a quart of berries."

Pickers do not have to worry about getting permission to pick in Shawnee National Forest, unless it turns into a commercial operation.

"We welcome people to stop and pick blackberries," said Elizabeth Steward, of the Shawnee National Forest District office at Elizabethtown, Ill.

But pickers have to use caution when they are in the wild, where snakes and biting insects can outnumber the berries.

"It is sometimes difficult to enjoy a blackberry cobbler when you have to scratch all the time," said Billingsley. "Pickers should find some good insect repellent to ward off the chiggers."