Last summer, I was picking and eating what were arguably the best fruits I have ever tasted (a belief I often hold when a particular fruit is ripe). They were blackberries, but not just any ...

Haley Mast is a freelance writer, fact-checker, and small organic farmer in the Columbia River Gorge. She enjoys gardening, reporting on environmental topics, and spending her time outside ...

Blackberries (Rubus spp.) — dark purple, sweet-tart fruits high in vitamins and disease-fighting compounds -- are protected by thorny canes that twist into impenetrable brambles when left unattended.