Blueberry Season

The local U-PICK Blueberry guy just opened for the season. Too darn hot to pick today, but will be getting my butt out of bed early one day this week and get me some.

I don't know how long your season lasts out there, but the blueberry guy at our Farmer's Market was there one week. I hope he comes back this week, because I only got one basket, and I froze them for pancakes.

[Jenise]

Staged right, blueberries should last all summer long. There are many many varieties, each with their own early, mid or late season ripening schedule.

Staged right, blueberries should last all summer long. There are many many varieties, each with their own early, mid or late season ripening schedule.

Exactly. The local guy grows 5 or 6 varieties and "advertises" his season generally lasts 3-6 weeks. It has been a pretty HOT spring here this year, so I suspect we might be toward the shorter end of the range this year.
BP

Hey Bill,

I assume you mean Bryant's? We go there every year at least once, though this year may prove the exception due to our schedules, but I think they do a fine job and I always enjoy my time there. They are friendly and dog friendly. IMHO they do a good job with staging and the varieties change as their season moves on. I doubt very much that anyone can get blueberries beyond July in the Ohio River Valley.

We're just getting fresh strawberries here - got some Sunday.

There are actually Blueberry festivals here in the summer - and cherries are our leading fruit here, not necessarily blueberries!

But these festivals offer breakfast with blueberry pancakes, blueberry syrups, blueberry pies and muffins can be purchased, etc. Definitely some of my favorite items, when fresh like that...

Now all we need is a chocolate festival and we'll really be in bliss here!

Jeff

Blueberries are in our farmer's markets at this time. I have never tasted commercially grown blueberries that even came close to the amount of flavor found in wild blueberries. Just my humble observation and opinion.

I agree, Lou, but in the absence of wild blueberries (or huckleberries, even better) to pick, one must make do with bought berries. At least until my new patch matures and starts producing a lot.

[David M. Bueker]

About 3 more weeks to go until blueberries here & then it's 5 pounds a week - eat 'em, freeze 'em, cook 'em. That lasts until mid-way into apple season. Once the Cortlands and Macouns come out I drop the blueberries.

About 3 more weeks to go until blueberries here & then it's 5 pounds a week - eat 'em, freeze 'em, cook 'em. That lasts until mid-way into apple season. Once the Cortlands and Macouns come out I drop the blueberries.

Huh. You voluntarily drop what may well be the most beneficial fruit, from a health standpoint - and no question about tastiness - from your diet to make room for apples?

About 3 more weeks to go until blueberries here & then it's 5 pounds a week - eat 'em, freeze 'em, cook 'em. That lasts until mid-way into apple season. Once the Cortlands and Macouns come out I drop the blueberries.

As a fruit I enjoy, I've always been mixed with apples.

I will eat one right off the core as a serving of fresh fruit. On the other hand, I don't enjoy apples sugarized or as a "baking item". Even though it's considered "un-American" to not enjoy apple pie, I find myself always preferring blueberry, lemon, cherry or chocolate pies ahead of apple. My sister, on the other hand, really enjoys apple pies and considers them the pinnacle of pies. I think it must just be an all-american gene that skipped me for some reason...

Even as a fresh fruit, citrus would probably be my top favorite - oranges, grapefruits, lemons (in small amounts). Berries would be my second. Apples would likely be third...

Jeff

Even as a fresh fruit, citrus would probably be my top favorite - oranges, grapefruits, lemons (in small amounts). Berries would be my second. Apples would likely be third...

Do I sense a poll coming on?

To my sorrow, wild blueberries are rare throughout the Middle-East and are found only in small amounts in the Bek'aa Valley of Lebanon; on the higher altitude forests in the Upper Galilee and on the Golan Heights; and in the red mountains of Jordan. Happily, cultivated blueberries are more readily available and often attain very high quality.

My own favorite manner for eating blueberries is with a spoon after pouring over a generous amount of sweet cream.

Best
Rogov

Even as a fresh fruit, citrus would probably be my top favorite - oranges, grapefruits, lemons (in small amounts). Berries would be my second. Apples would likely be third...

Do I sense a poll coming on?

Yikes, for all our sanity, let us hope not...

I'll just assume we all agree and citrus fruits will be named the unanimous winner!

Wow, that was one of the easiest polls ever conducted...

Jeff

[David M. Bueker]

About 3 more weeks to go until blueberries here & then it's 5 pounds a week - eat 'em, freeze 'em, cook 'em. That lasts until mid-way into apple season. Once the Cortlands and Macouns come out I drop the blueberries.

Huh. You voluntarily drop what may well be the most beneficial fruit, from a health standpoint - and no question about tastiness - from your diet to make room for apples?

They get pretty thin by then anyways. We don't have much in the way of fall berries, except raspberries (which I love but which don't hold up through the work week).

The blueberries have been excellent here so far. Last night, my wife used some in an "Eton Mess" that was quite tasty.

[Jenise]

Blueberries are in our farmer's markets at this time. I have never tasted commercially grown blueberries that even came close to the amount of flavor found in wild blueberries. Just my humble observation and opinion.

Lou, you bring back memories. We were anchored in a small cove aboard a friend's rather large sail boat on Alaska's Prince William Sound, and had gone ashore to pick blueberries for the blueberry pancakes. We had to sing while picking to scare the bears away. It was a revelation that blueberries could be that good--concentrated, spicy and tangy--and our host's pancakes were the best (and still are) I've ever had. I'll be happy if the bushes I've planted this year come even halfway close.

[David M. Bueker]

I've picked wild blueberries in the hills of Connecticut and the hills of Maine. They are delicious though our local farm actually comes close, despite the bigger berries. They are awfully good.

Blueberries are in our farmer's markets at this time. I have never tasted commercially grown blueberries that even came close to the amount of flavor found in wild blueberries. Just my humble observation and opinion.

Lou, you bring back memories. We were anchored in a small cove aboard a friend's rather large sail boat on Alaska's Prince William Sound, and had gone ashore to pick blueberries for the blueberry pancakes. We had to sing while picking to scare the bears away. It was a revelation that blueberries could be that good--concentrated, spicy and tangy--and our host's pancakes were the best (and still are) I've ever had. I'll be happy if the bushes I've planted this year come even halfway close.

I remember when we found a large concentration of ripe wild blueberries while hiking near a lodge we were staying at in Montana. Near the trail cutting through the blueberry patch was a sign saying "beware of bears", my wife looked at it and exclaimed "these berries are too good to leave them to some damn bear I've never even been introduced to." It goes without saying we gorged ourselves.

This reminds me of a blackberry picking excursion I made one July day in the mountains near my north Georgia hometown. I had followed a huge thicket of blackberry canes - some approaching 8' tall- out of sight of the forest service road, happily filling my bucket with lots of big juicy berries, when I saw something on the ground ahead: a large, fresh, steaming pile of bear s**t - filled with blackberry remains. I took note of my remoteness, and decided I had picked enough blackberries for that day, and retreated to my truck.

This reminds me of a blackberry picking excursion I made one July day in the mountains near my north Georgia hometown. I had followed a huge thicket of blackberry canes - some approaching 8' tall- out of sight of the forest service road, happily filling my bucket with lots of big juicy berries, when I saw something on the ground ahead: a large, fresh, steaming pile of bear s**t - filled with blackberry remains. I took note of my remoteness, and decided I had picked enough blackberries for that day, and retreated to my truck.

Just because you're smarter than I am, you don't have to brag publicly.

NO BS, just 8lbs of berries!

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8 lbs?? You're slacking. I think the last time I went I picked 13. The latest report is that they will be open through July. J'aime beaucoup les myrtilles!