Lone Star Blackberries has local self-pick blackberry patch

Every summer, Mother Nature provides the inhabitants of the Ozark Hills with a bounty of sweet treats. Paw-paws, elderberries, strawberries and myriad other fruits pop up throughout the countryside, but perhaps the most widely enjoyed is the blackberry.
An Ozarks favorite, blackberries are known for their ubiquity and unique flavor, and this year, one local couple will prove these delicious berries in abundance.
Lone Star Blackberries is the only self-pick blackberry patch in the area, owned by Dave and Carolyn Metzger. Originally from southeastern Minnesota, the couple spent years working as beef and crop farmers. For three decades, Dave owned a business dedicated to serving the dairy industry.
Upon retirement, the Metzgers were drawn to the Ozarks by the area’s warmer climate and cultural values. They purchased some land just south of Mountain Grove on Highway 95, and once they settled in, it dawned on Dave that he could still pursue his passion for agriculture.
“Dave enjoys farming and interacting with the public,” Carolyn said. “He felt a berry patch would give him an opportunity to continue with aspects of his strengths and abilities he developed over the years.”
Dave and Carolyn decided it would be wise to consult industry professionals prior to opening a blackberry patch. They sought guidance from the University of Missouri’s Southwest Research Center in Mt. Vernon as well as from the University of Arkansas’ Fruit Research Station in Clarksville, Ark.
“We also talked with other berry growers in southwestern Missouri,” Dave said.
After educating themselves on the art of blackberry cultivation, the Metzgers set to work on their new project. To ensure customers have a variety of options, the couple chose to grow four thornless varieties of the plant: Natchez, which are large, thornless berries and the patch’s earliest ripening variety; Caddo, large, sweet fruits that ripen early- to mid-season; Ouachita, known for its rich flavor and abundant growth; and Triple Crown, which ripens later in the season and produces a large fruit ideal for jams, baking, and freezing.
These delicious berries are cultivated using a unique device called a rotating cross-arm (RCA) trellis, a system popular within the world of blackberry production because it expedites the harvest process. This system consists of wires threaded throughout steel tubing connected to steel supports (cross-arms). The stems of the blackberry plants, also known as canes, are attached to these wires and can be rotated horizontally, diagonally, or vertically to enhance fruit growth by ensuring the berries receive an appropriate amount of sunlight and airflow.
The RCA system has become increasingly popular in the world of blackberry cultivation, with institutions such as the University of Arkansas performing in-depth research on the method. It offers numerous benefits, including reduced sun damage and pest infestation, as well as improved overall berry quality.
Dave himself constructed the trellis system in use at Lone Star Blackberries; to build the device, he utilized materials from Douglass Steel, a local metal fabrication plant.
The Metzgers’ efforts will not go unrewarded. Soon, the blackberries will be ripe for picking and consumption.
Lone Star Blackberries, located at 1226 Highway 95 south of Mountain Grove, will announce its opening date at lonestarblackberries.com. Hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sundays through Fridays. The cost is $15 per gallon of blackberries. For more information, call Lone Star Blackberries at 608-397-4979.