Crowberry | Partridgeberry | Crackerberry
Creeping Snowberry | Blueberry | Raspberry | Marshberry | Bakeapple
Berry picking is popular in Newfoundland, there are lots of berries you can pick from the side of the trail ranging from dull but edible to refreshing and delicious.
Weather and time of year are both critical factors in your berry picking success, here’s a rough schedule of the picking season for the most popular fruits:
- Bakeapples: late july – early august
- Raspberries: july – august
- Blueberries: late july – august – early september
- Partridgeberries: late september – october
Wild berry identification
Wild berries are not hard to ID, but there are look-alikes among their ranks. If you’ve never picked berries before or if you’re uncertain about your berry picking skills, bring a field guide to help you avoid picking unripe fruits or inedible berries that could be poisonous.
Here are some of the berries I frequently find along the trail:
Crowberry - Cape Spear Path
Tiny and humble, the Crowberry hides in plain sight at ankle level on the wind swept barrens. The berry is deep purple in colour, almost black, making it hard to see on a cloudy day. It doesn’t taste like anything but it is edible and available in quantity.
Partridgeberries - Motion Path
Another berry that grows close to the ground is the much tastier and far easier to spot Partridgeberry, a dark red pearl that’s seriously yummy in a pie. Partridgeberries are best picked in fall, after they’ve been sweetened by the first frost. Personally I like them even better after the snow melts in spring, at that time they’re almost pure juice in the shape of a berry. Remember not to pick them when they’re bright red, because those are still green.
Crackerberries - Cape Spear Path
Along the forested hills of the East Coast Trail you’ll find tons of Crackerberries lining the path, locally also known as Bunchberries. These red berries are all over the place and it’s a pity they don’t taste like much. Try freeing the berry from its red skin, that way they have a mild sweet taste reminiscent of lychees.
Creeping Snowberry - Cobbler Path
In the same woods you’ll find little white berries crawling around on the shaded forest floor, these Creeping Snowberries are about the size and shape of Tic Tacs and they sort of taste like them too. You can eat them in August when they’re white like in this photo.
Blueberries - Deadman's Bay Path
In forest clearings and open fields with plenty of sunshine you’ll find the ever popular Blueberry. Along some trails there are so many blueberries you can get your belly full and then some.
Raspberries - Cape Spear Path
Another refreshing favourite is the Raspberry, well known and hard to mistake for anything else. Both the blueberry and raspberry are tasty treats without any special preparation.
Marshberry - Stiles Cove Path
Wetlands have their special treats as well, and I’m not talking about the blackflies. Easiest to find are the Marshberries, these cousins of the Cranberry ripen after the first frost too and they get even better after overwintering.
Bakeapples - Cape Spear Path
The infamous Bakeapple wins the ‘Mysterious Fruit’ award, people here like these orange goodies so much they won’t tell you where to find them, it’s a secret! Really though, it’s just another tasty berry (a fruit actually), and I’ve found plenty of them in bogs along the East Coast Trail.
