The Berries in July

July to me was berry time
When we got oor school summer holidays;
School uniforms were hung up
And we put on oor auldest claes.

And set aff to the berry picking
In the fruit farms for a wage;
It made us feel so grown up
Even at that young tender age.

There was lots of fruit to choose from
But we liked the raspberries best;
For strawberries you had to bend doon
And gooseberry thorns were a pest.

Red and blackcurrants took an age
To get oor wee punnets to fill;
And they felt sour, untempting to eat
And fair mair likely for us to spill.

But we thought picking rasps was fun
As we chattered with pals through the day;
And for every pound we got weighed
put a halfpenny on to oor pay.