A Bountiful Mess!

Raspberries, blackberries, black raspberries, we've got 'em. Sometimes I think the blackberry/raspberry patch is a monsterous being trying to take over the world, or at least our fruit orchard. They are armed and dangerous, covered in thorns that seem to reach out and attack when one walks nearby. Quite a few years ago we cleared some heavily wooded land to make way for fruit trees.

Woodland behind the swingset around 2006.

The swingset became a grape arbor once the kids outgrew it, the woods beyond have been cleared and fruit trees planted there over last 6 years. 

BUT..... The prickly, thorny, mean spirited blackberries and raspberries have take over!

There were SOME blackberry and raspberry plants even when the area was wooded but once the area was cleared of most trees the berries took off, literally. They spread more each year even though I pull some up and dig some up and chop some down and try to give some away. Last year I cleared all that were close to the fruit trees thinking they may be robbing the trees of resources. This year of course the berries are back so I'm thinking I will leave them around the fruit trees to see if their thorns will keep away woodland critters that like to eat from the fruit trees.

There is a fruit tree in there with 6' and 7' tall berry bushes surrounding it. 

The berries are tasty and make great jam and food is a good thing but how to limit them? It's hard to tell by the picture but the whole area, a very big area is like a giant wave of berry plants,  a sea of green and later red and black when the berries ripen, they are all through the area.  How to have just the right amount or have the hoards in a better area, how can I solve this issue?

Peach tree surrounded by Raspberry and Blackberry plants.

The chicken yard fence seems to be holding back the mountain of berry plants. The chickens and ducks will gain a lot more room once we extend out there but will they even want to deal with the berry bushes?

For now we will let them fruit and possibly they will protect the fruit trees a bit? This area has the younger fruit trees in it. I will be transplanting some of the canes that will fruit next year. I'm in the process of extending the chicken and ducks fenced area through this part of the orchard. Maybe they will help keep the berry plants down but they tend to avoid the ones currently in their yard, I guess they don't want to get pricked any more than I do! Since I have to work regularly in this area I might as well get used to being all scratched up!  I will keep trying to find the solution for this bountiful mess.

Thorny berry plants everywhere!