Yesterday I bought my first carton of in-season blueberries. They’re large, plump, sweet, and delicious! None of the wintertime small, tart, semi-green varieties. You can tell when it’s blueberry season because the cartons available in the grocery stores get larger and the price drops. [Plus it's probably summer outside; minor giveaway.]
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What blueberry picking could look like for you and your bucket (I mean family)!
You may not know but blueberries grow on low bushes or shrubs. Conveniently this makes them super easy for self-harvesting. And if you haven’t been blueberry picking you’re missing out! You can find blueberry farms open to the public for such purposes in many states. Although Maine produces 98% of the country’s blueberries which is also the most of anywhere in the world. Apparently the berries have a hankering for Maine’s acidic glacial soil. Whatever that means I couldn’t quite figure out. But the plants are known for flourishing after fires, because the fire wipes out competing vegetation and the blueberry is a quick regenerator. I guess one could call them an opportunistic plant—moving in to newly freed territory before new plant settlers take root.
Blueberries are being increasingly recognized for their health benefits (e.g. they’re high in antioxidants, proven to reduce belly fat, preserve vision, protect against heart disease, and are a natural anti-depressant). With so much to gain on top of a sweet wonderful pop in your mouth you owe it to yourself to try picking some blueberries straight from the farm! Here are a couple of places for those of you in Oregon/Washington:
Everyone else, pick up your bucket and Google your way to the nearest farm before September! Happy picking!
