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
- Blueberry pie, recipe and directions and illustrated!
- Blueberry buckle coffee cake: illustrated directions for this great crumb-topping blueberry coffee cake
- Other easy directions to make blueberry deserts: cobblers, etc.
Canning and freezing the blueberries:
- How to Freeze Blueberries
- How to Can Blueberries
- How to Make Homemade Blueberry Jam
- How to make blueberry jelly
- How to make and can blueberry syrup (it works for strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, too)
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!
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