Wild blackberries are indeed a delicious treat in KY, and you really don't have to do much work to grow them. They will soon take over any field that isn't being mowed. I also have a patch of wild raspberries in my yard at home that are great. They are half the size of most blackberries but worth picking because of the great flavor. These raspberries just popped up near an old stump, and I let them grow there.
I'm getting loads of persimmons every year now, but I personally don't care much for their taste. In fact, I really think most of them taste a lot alike. One of the better tasting ones so far is a variety I got from Nolin River Nut Tree Nursery a few years ago called "Miller." It's a nice large size with a firm, clean looking flesh, and ripens in October here in KY. It is about the same size as Deer Magnet, but Deer Magnet is a month or more later dropping. If you blindfolded me, I doubt I could tell the difference in the taste. However, ask me again in a couple of years. I do have some more persimmon cultivars that should be fruiting in the future.
A special treat for me is chestnuts. I really love to eat them. Most fall from mid September to late October on my farm. You have to let them dry out for a few weeks in order for the sweet flavor to develop. You will also have several that have to be discarded because they will have worms. Perhaps the most overlooked gem is the Allegheny Chinkapins that we grow. They taste even better than chestnuts, and none will have worms. The only catch is that they are a little less than half the size of a chestnut, which requires a little more work to eat. The ones I have will drop well into mid November, and I'm trying to get more established - for both myself and the deer. They are a heck of a gun season draw.
