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Blueberries picking tips
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This month's notes: May 2008: Spring is here!: strawberries are here in the deep South and are peaking or fading in California, Texas and Florida!  Find a strawberry festival near you! And see mid summer Blueberry festivals here. Organic farms are still not common, but any that are, have the word ORGANIC by their name! Check out my easy canning directions, and canning equipment or How to make ice cream and ice cream making equipment and manuals
Please tell the farms you found them here - and ask them to update their information!!!

Blueberry Facts, Festivals and Picking Tips

NOTE: The late frost in much of the U.S. in May 2007, especially the Southeast, reduced the 2007 crops - call the farms before you go!!!

Blueberries are one of the easiest fruit to prepare and serve. There’s no peeling, pitting, coring or cutting.

Picking tips:

Select plump, full blueberries with a light gray-blue color. A berry with any hint of red isn't fully ripened, and once picked, blueberries won't ripen and further.

Since blueberries hang on the bushes in bunches a but like grapes do, the easiest and fastest way to pick them is hold your bucket under them in one hand and with your other hand, cup a ripe bunch and gently rub them with your fingers.  The ripe berries will drop into your bucket, while the unripe ones will remain attached to the bush.

 


  • Once picked, don't place the berries, still warm from the sun, in a closed bag or container. Leave the container open so moisture doesn't form in the container.
  • Don't wash berries until just before using to prevent berries from becoming mushy.
  • Chill berries soon after picking to increase shelf life.  If refrigerated, fresh-picked blueberries will keep 10 to 14 days.
  • Freeze berries in freezer containers without washing to keep the skins from toughening.  Place berries one layer deep. Freeze, then pour the frozen berries into freezer containers. Because unwashed blueberries freeze individually, they can be easily poured from containers in desired amounts. Remember both frozen and fresh berries should be rinsed and drained just before serving. Just before using, wash the berries in cold water.
  • Nutrition and miscellaneous facts:  1 cup  (143 grams) of blueberries is 84 calories (technically, kcal).  Blueberries contain no cholesterol or fat and are also low in calories. Blueberries are high in dietary fiber, Vitamin A and niacin. They contain iron and other trace minerals and are a fair source of Vitamin C. 
  • Blueberries are ranked No. 1 in antioxidant activity compared with 40 other commercially available fruits and vegetables. That means a serving of blueberries has more of the antioxidant power you need to fight aging, cancer and heart disease.
  • Put this in your pipe! Indians in the Northwest Territory smoked wild blueberries to preserve them for the winter. (Bet you didn't know that!)
  • Want to grow your own blueberries?  Here's an article about how to: Growing Blueberries in the Home Garden, HYG-1422-98

 


Recipes

Canning and freezing the blueberries:


Blueberry Festivals

The US Highbush Blueberry Council hasn't updated their blueberry festivals page in 2 years, so I researched added to and updated it and put the current information on a new page - click here for the blueberry festivals page.


Blueberry Questions and Answers

Q. We would like to purchase some blueberry plants and plant them this November.  Where can we purchase some nice size plants ?

A. There are 3 options:
    1.     Local nursery
    2.    Mail order
    3.    Big box store (Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart)
I’ve been very disappointed with the blueberry bushes I ordered from mail order nurseries – the plants were tiny (6 inches or so).   The ones at my local Wal-Mart usually looked pretty pathetic. Lowes and Home Depot usually have big (2 ft tall) healthy plants that are suited to your local climate. So do the local nurseries, but their prices are often absurd. I’ve been happy with the one’s at Lowe’s and Home Depot!

 

Home Canning Kits

Features:


* All the tools you need for hot waterbath canning - in one comprehensive set!
* Complete with 21 1/2 qt. enameled waterbath canner and "Ball Blue Book" of canning.
* Also includes canning rack, funnel, jar lifter, jar wrencher, bubble freer, tongs and lid lifter.
* A Kitchen Krafts exclusive collection.

This is the same type of  standard canner that my grandmother used to make everything from applesauce to jams and jellies to tomato and spaghetti sauce!. This complete kit includes everything you need and lasts for years: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs, lid lifting wand, a plastic funnel, labels, bubble freer, and the bible of canning, the Ball Blue Book. It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. You'll never need anything else except jars and lids (and the jars are reusable). To see more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here!
 

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
 


Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go - weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and crops!

PYO Farms in Other Countries: [ Australia ] [ Canada ] [ South Africa ] [ New Zealand ] [ United Kingdom ]

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