Couple grows fruit on 7.5-acre site

Even with bustling Hwy. 290 and the expanding developments of Cypress less than a few miles away, a visit to Blackberries of Houston is like a step back in time to a place out of a chapter from a history textbook.

Both born in 1930 into the agricultural world, Frankie and J.D. McMaster grow blackberries on their 7.5 acres of land off Mueschke Road, a pastime they turned into a successful business.

"[Farming] is bred into you from that period—and it doesn't go away—so you always like to do it," J.D. McMaster said. "We can and preserve a lot, and we eat just like people did in the 1930s: from the garden, because there were no grocery stores back then."

Visitors come from all over Houston every summer to pick the blackberries during a season that lasts about one month.

This year, the couple expects the blackberries will be ripe for picking starting around the third week of May.

Although they have always enjoyed farming, the McMasters almost accidently stumbled into the business.

"We used to give vegetables away, and our neighbor told us we were giving too many out, so we put a sign outside," J.D. McMaster said.

The couple traveled to East Texas in 1998 and bought 10 blackberry plants to start. The number increased to nearly 5,000 in the past 14 years.

"This is a family thing," J.D. McMaster said. "People bring their kids and they learn how things are grown."

Customers who come to pick the blackberries are given a one-gallon container to store their berries, which can be made into numerous types of food.

"We make a syrup that could be made into a jam, and I could almost drink it," J.D. McMaster said. "Instead of using milk on my cereal, I pour it on my Frosted Flakes."

To make the crop expand, the couple takes the shoots from around the plants and transplants them.

"During the drought, my wife dug them up and put them in one-gallon pots and watered them by hand to keep them alive," J.D. McMaster said. "We put in a new well after the drought ended to make sure we could keep watering in December and January. It helped a whole lot."

Since the weather was severe last season, J.D. McMaster expects a good crop this year.

"You can see how pretty and green everything is, and we've had a good wet season coming in," he said. "I can't wait for this season. We get as antsy about it as the people who call in everyday."

What to know before you go

• This year, the picking season is expected to open around May 15–21
• The season lasts about one month
• Visitors should call ahead of time to find out the picking forecast
• About 70 people can pick the berries at one time
• Typically open from 7 a.m.–noon
• Everyone is given a one-gallon container to store the berries

Blackberries of Houston, 19531 Cypress Church Road, Cypress, 281-373-5357, www.blackberriesofhouston.com