Back in June, some friends of ours brought us a nice basket of hand picked beautiful strawberries along with some warm biscuits and heavy cream. When I saw the basket they were in, mentioned to them that you just don't see those kinds of containers for berries now-a-days. I remembered when I was working in Burlington back in the 50s and used to drive down Riverside Avenue, there was a fruit & vegetable stand there and I used to pick up a quart or two of strawberries to bring home for 25 cents a quart. Yup!! that's right, 25 cents. That included the basket like you see below.
I didn't think they made those any more, but a search on the Internet revealed that they certainly do. Why don't people use them, well, probably because they cost close to $1.50 a piece, even when you buy them in large lots. They do advertise them not only for berries, but also for crafts, which I suspect is what they most likely sell the most of them for now-a-days. I will drop this berry basket off to my friends who gave me the berries last spring, as you just don't throw those containers away, you just use them over and over and over. I used to keep them back when I paid 25 cents a quart.
I was unable to find out what kind of wood they are made out of, but it feels like some kind of bark.
(http://www.vtgrandpa.com/photos/albums/forum_photos/2008_09_10_002.sized.jpg)