Commentary by Christy Solo
If you are unfortunate enough to have Himalayan blackberry in your yard, you will thank me for this column – this goes double for female gardeners. Have I found a deal for you!
Backing up to 2021.
When I first moved into my new house (if you recall, it was a foreclosure sale, so came very much in “as is” condition) my very first weekend was spent eradicating all the Himalayan blackberry from the fenced in portion of the yard. And there was a LOT of it.
So much that my friend Sarah graciously offered to come up from the Yreka area to help. It was not fun, but we got it done.
However, as 99% of Oregonians know – one is never really “done” with Himalayan blackberry. You just sort of hack it into submission annually.
For the first two years I dutifully hacked away in the early spring and kept it under control.
Year three spring was fraught with – we’ll just say “a lot” and not rehash the details. I was left with zero time for blackberry hacking. By the time my schedule opened up, the birds had already started nesting and not only did I not want to disturb them, but it is quite illegal to disturb trees, plants, shrubs, etc. where active bird’s nests are.
Well, it wasn’t great, but still better than when I’d first moved in. I would just have a little more work the following spring.
Except – you guessed it – the following March and April were 100% filled up with urgent home repair tasks (as well as the newspaper) and once again, the birds were ensconced before I had time to hack, hack, hack.
Bringing us to this week. Y’all! I can’t even bring myself to include a picture of the full scope of the Himalayan blackberry hellscape that is my yard right now.
I have included a photo of one of the many, many Weapons Grade Canes I’m facing over the next few weeks.
But – the GOOD news is this year I’m very well prepared (as will happen when you have three years to get ready *cough*).
If you remember nothing else from this article – remember this – write it down: When it comes to “You vs. Blackberry” get yourself pigskin gloves.
Do not even look at gloves of any other sort (okay, maybe chain mail).
Himalayan blackberry will shred you – and laugh while it does so – in anything short of pigskin.
I happened to have purchased pigskin gloves when I first bought the house before that first “eradication.” Not because I was particularly savvy, but because I knew I needed some type of heavy-duty yardwork glove and Walmart happened to have pigskin gloves in a size small.
If you recall (and haven’t seen me in person) I’m basically “child sized.” I literally can wear a child’s size 3 or 4 shoe (sometimes a 12). Finding gloves I’m not swimming in is quite the task, to put it mildly.
Five years on, I’m still using that same pair of gloves – because I have yet to find another pair in a size small. They don’t even stock them in most stores. Yup. Luckily they’ve held up well. That pigskin is serious stuff.
Now, I did get a pair of super soft “durable” cow leather gloves in a size small at Ace – but y’all blackberry cuts right through those like they are actual butter, not just buttery soft. Luckily I can use them for “any yardwork that doesn’t involve thorns.”
So two weeks ago, I went on an online quest for new size small pigskin gloves. I decided to look at long gloves (up to my elbow) to cut down on the inevitable scarring from Project Himalayan while I was at it.
Holy Sticker Shock Batman!
Not only was I unable to find gloves smaller than size M online (at first search) but WOW the extra long pigskin were running $40.95 – $63.60 (in the wrong size).
I’d just about given up after searching and scrolling and searching – my five-year-old gloves still work but I’d kind of fallen in love with the idea of “extra long gloves.”
Then my “If there is a bargain, I will find it!” tenacity finally paid off when I stumbled onto the Handlandy gloves website. It was not easy to find, it did not float to the top of the search or show up in all those “sponsored” sites.
Handlandy had thorn-proof pigskin gauntlet gloves (pictured along with my other gloves) come with reinforced finger and palm pads (same as I’d seen on other sites in the $50 range!) for $18. Yup. With shipping they were $23.80 and arrived in less than a week.
As you can see by how dirty they already are – these size small gauntlet gloves live up to the promises made on the Handlandy site. Blackberries beware! I’m going to continue to come for ya!
Final fun facts: Hanlandy sells All the Gloves – I have learned there are gloves for literally everything. They have free shipping on orders over $20 – that’s amazing most sites it’s at least $50 before you get free shipping.
And ladies – Hanlandy was originally founded to make work gloves for women, so the women’s gloves are ergonomically designed for women’s hands and come in the full range of sizes.
