Reviews › Berry Season

petals from the past blueberries blackberriesPetals From The Past berries fill my fridge and freezer.

By Jan Walsh

Photography by Beau Gustafson 


As a child I picked wild blackberries with my grandmother. We both wore bonnets and long aprons for protection. Looking back I smile, as I cannot imagine a farm kid today wearing such old fashioned attire. But I am glad that I have such a vivid memory of mine.

Picking berries is no longer a romantic notion for me. So I am happy to leave the berry picking to Petals From The Past. I have loved Petals From The Past blueberries longer than I can recall and discovered Petals From The Past’s blackberries several years ago at the former Tria Market. The enormous blackberries are juicy, sweet with thin skins and no grittiness. The plump blueberries have lovely, thin, blue skins, and are bursting with juicy, sweetness. I even refuse to travel extensively during the short season of these blackberries each year—for fear of loss. I did it once, and came back to realize I would have to wait another year for my berries to come back in season. I can travel anytime but can only eat these fresh berries one short season a year. Blackberries’ season is from early June until early July. But their blueberries have a longer season, mid June until late August. Best of all is the precious time when they are both in season at the same time, from mid June through the first few days of July.

Petals From The Past is located in Jemison, Alabama. Here Jason and Shelley Powell, both horticulturalists with masters degrees from Texas A&M University, apply contemporary techniques to grow the finest old-garden plants as well as new varieties. They taught me to insure my blackberry addiction by freezing batches for the off-season. Petals From The Past’s technique for freezing their blackberries: Place one layer of them, unwashed, on a cookie sheet without touching. Place cookie sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes. Then bag the berries in freezer bags. Thaw each bag as needed, and rinse before eating or cooking. The frozen berries are almost as delicious as fresh and make great fruit for breakfasts as well as to cook in winter cobblers. Today I am in high cotton with several bags left in the freezer from last season and quarts of fresh ones in the refrigerator from this season.

For those who prefer to pick their berries you can do so in their “U-Pick Berry Fields.” They also have a retail store there where you can buy picked berries and other products, including their jams and jellies made from these berries that is open Tuesdays through Sundays. And they are found at Pepper Place Market on Saturdays on the corner with a blue sign and a smaller sign that says, “We do not sell GMOs.” And they are the crown dessert jewels at many of Birmingham’s finest restaurants. Or visit their online store for some products found at PetalsFromThe Past.com. While visiting their website check out the variety of workshops and educational offerings. They conduct programs for garden clubs and groups of 10 or more.  All workshops, lectures and demonstrations require advanced scheduling. For reservations or to find out more information please call the retail shop at 205-646-0069.

Published,  B-Metro magazine, July 2015