CHOCOWINITY — Southside Farms in Chocowinity is perhaps better known for its abundant crop of strawberries, but berry lovers are fast discovering another treat awaiting them.

“When we first got into the strawberry business, someone came out and talked to us about trying blackberries,” Harding said. “You can get blackberries in two years, where as with blueberries you have to wait three or four years.”

Southside’s first blackberry crop was of the old-fashioned thorn variety.

“A lot of local people remember picking what they called brier berries because it was such a task,” Harding recalled with a laugh. “Your hands and arms would get scratched up by the thorns. That only lasted about two years and we took them out. All the blackberries we have now are the thorn-less variety.”

Southside Farms currently grows four different varieties of blackberries on a half-acre plot. And while Harding doesn’t expect them to surpass strawberries in popularity, there is at least one advantage when it comes harvest time. Blackberries grow on a trellis, so customers and staff are not stooping to fill their baskets as they do with strawberries.

“Blackberries are a hardy crop, a tough crop,” Harding said. “I call it the under appreciated berry. A lot of people don’t even know they like blackberries until they try them.”

Southside Farms is a member of the North American Raspberry & Blackberry Association, and the Harding family and their staff advise customers to visit the association’s web site in order to find delicious ways of serving up the berries.

Harding said blackberries usually have a short season, around six weeks, and the berry-picking window is expected to last until late July. Southside Farms’ produce stand is open Mondays through Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Blackberries are available for purchase in baskets or customers may choose to pick their own.

“People like to come out early to pick before it gets so hot,” Harding said.