[sunshineband]

I have just gathered 0.486 kg of raspberries this afternoon. All organically grown and perfectly formed. At Tasko prices they would cost be over £9.00 to buy. Now clearly I would not of course be spending that sum on raspberries, so can hardly profess to have saved that amount … but it make you think, doesn't it? 

[New shoot]

But you have the satisfaction of eating as many as you wish and the extra glow of pride in that you grew them - priceless 

Good food is reward itself, but if the thought of all that filthy lucre you have saved is appealing, I have a cunning plan    That £9 saving should be nearly enough for a bottle of Traso own brand vodka.  If you need to save a bit more to justify it, weigh the organic new potato harvest.

Transformed with your raspberries, that vodka should then be worth at least triple the value.  At this rate by this time next year, you will be a millionaire 

All volunteers for testing said vodka and pricing it for you, please form an orderly queue behind NS

[mumofstig]

LOL - I know just what you mean, about the supposed cost of them! I picked a 2lt icecream tub of rasps today, I'd never actually buy that many I intend to make a cheesecake for tomorrow, the rest will go in the freezer for jam. There are plenty more rasps nearly ready for picking, plus Tayberries, Loganberries and Strawberries. Ain't life grand

[sunshineband]

I like your thinking New Shoot  If we totted up the apparent value of all our luscious organic crops, especially using them in even more luscious ways, "This time next year, Rodders, we'll be millionnaires! "

[8doubles]

Your rasp's will be at least twice as tasty as supermarket ones so think £20 !
Still eating half a pint of macerated strawbs a day as i do not have space for the row of rasp's i prefer !

[Growster...]

Right!

That's it!

The net I put up is so badly supported, I'm dreading getting in there to take some of the crop, but now, well, I've just got to be brave, and DO IT!

(And pick a punnet of blackcurrants at the same time, as they're getting enormous)!

[mrs bouquet]

There is an organic PYO farm near me.   I pop up there and pick, and you can eat a few before taking them to the counter to pay !.   They also have orchards, and the different varieties of plums are scrummy as well.
At the end of the day no plastic to dispose of, which is excellent as well.  Mrs Bouquet

[sunshineband]

Nice opportunity Mrs B.


(I am still picking of course, and have eaten loads. Not weighing them now as curiousity sated) Black currants next!)

[Goosegirl]

…. also the thing about GOY is that you can choose whatever variety suits your taste be it veg or fruit. I can't remember the name of the summer rasps we got a number of years ago but the taste is superb and far better than some hyped-up new ones we got last year. Is it worth growing both summer and autumn rasps if you don't use them for jam etc and only for eating fresh?

[Growster...]

" Is it worth growing both summer and autumn rasps if you don't use them for jam etc and only for eating fresh?"

We reckon that the later ones - 'Joan J' in our case, are a good bet, GG.

When I moved some new plants (from suckers) up from 'The Patch', they started right away, but we also had a few mid-summer ones, and plonked them in as well, to fill any gaps.

They're doing a few berries, but the JJ are now beginning to heave around a bit, so we may be OK for a crop this year!

[mumofstig]

I picked another 2l tub of early rasps today, there are loads still to ripen as well.
However, only 1 of the 6 Joan J's I planted in spring are alive  So will have to order some more soon, but from a different supplier )
I love them because they come at a time when there are fewer berries about, and they're so easy to care for - just cut them to the ground every winter.

[grinling]

I fancy making raspberry ripple ice cream with mine

[sunshineband]

I fancy making raspberry ripple ice cream with mine

I love this!! One of the few icecreams I ever bother to make.. black currant ripple is pretty good too 

PS I do also have Autumn raspberries and as mine were 9 years old thought they should go into retirement so treated myself to six new ones.  Same variety though: Polka. Huge huge delicious berries, that I often open-freeze for a Winter treat

The "value" of all our raspberry crops is increasing by the day, not financial value necessarily either, but sheer enjoyment 

[Growster...]

This dry period has stopped our early rasps doing anything. They're dead on the vine!

I've been watering them today, and hope that they'll recover, but it's a disappointment to bear...

Hopefully the Joan J will start to get going and we'll get some later on!

[Goosegirl]

I'm still trying to identify a summer rasp we got years ago that had luscious red berries with a lovely sharp aftertaste. Last year I thought as they were getting rather old and the bed had a lot of couch grass I dug them up. I got some different ones but they were far too sweet. We're hoping to move house in the autumn but some of these original unknown canes survived the bed digging-over and are now starting to fruit. The canes are old but still productive so should I take a risk and pot them up later or get a couple of summer and autumn varieties, so what is your advice?