Every other day the past two weeks I have picked about two cups of fresh blackberries from my garden. I say my garden, but in reality they are the vines that are constantly trying to invade my yard like a barbaric (and heavily barbed) hoard from the vacant property next door.

As every South End Seattle gardener knows these Himalayan* invaders fist introduced to the US in the 1880’s are impossible to fully eradicate from the garden without constant vigilance. An unattended vacant lot can turn into a tangled mess 8 feet high or more in two years or less. However the small (and tasty) consolation is the very reason it was first introduced to the US-  the fat sweet purple berries that seem to be especially abundant this year.

Like stuffing after a Thanksgiving feast, the over abundance of berries quickly lessons their appeal, as well as the hazards to obtain them, the multiple thorn pricks and plentiful spider webs (shudder) found in the thickets.

Here are ten ideas from the www on what to do with this abundant natural resource, beyond the basic blackberries and fresh cream. Now get picking!

1. New England Blackberry Torte

2. Blackberry Wine

3. Blackberry Facial Mask

4. Blackberry, Celery and Ginger Green Smoothie

5. Blackberry Dye

6. Blackberry Coconut Ice cream

7. Peach and Blackberry Soup

8. Blackberry Cocktails

9. Blackberry Bread

10. Blackberry Cream Filled Oreos 

(*the origin is disputed, though it is believed to be native of Armenia)