Great goal! We have yet to plant a good patch of blackberries and hope to soon... I like the thornless kind and so do my little ones! There is a great technique that we use for seriously keeping weeds down and starting a new growing area. I talk about it here if you're interested!

https://steemit.com/gardening/@schoonercreek/winter-garden-planning-for-success-the-time-is-now-how-to-gain-yields-with-this-easy-and-superior-method