Blueberry Facts and FAQs

Blueberry facts and answers to frequently asked questions

Picking and storage:

• Don’t pick berries that still have a hint of red – they’re not ripe yet. Ripe blueberries will fall off easily with a gentle rub or tug – those that resist picking are not yet ripe.
• That said – if you intend to make jam, including a few reddish berries is desirable – higher pectin content!
• Moisture shortens the shelf life of berries. Let any moisture on the blueberries dry before storing them, and don’t wash them until you’re ready to eat them (our berries are totally natural with nothing sprayed on – you really don’t have to wash ’em).
• Chill berries soon after picking to increase shelf life. If refrigerated, fresh-picked blueberries will keep 10 to 14 days.
• Frozen blueberries are awesome. If you’ve let them dry before freezing, they freeze individually so it’s easy to grab a handful from the bag.
• The #1 way our customers use their berries:  “On my cereal – every morning!”
• #2: “Pancakes!”  Here’s a terrific recipe from Simply Recipes: Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Blueberry culture:

• There are remarkably few pests and pathogens that affect blueberry bushes and fruit.  Thus, we use no pesticides, fungicides, or anything-cides. No sprays, no systemics, nothing.
• Birds, however, are troublesome. They ALL love blueberries.  Some local birders visit regularly during the picking season to see Orchard Orioles, Cedar Waxwings, Scarlet Tanagers, etc.
• If you’re a soil geek, you may be interested to know we have an interesting/unusual soil – Nolichucky Loam – an alluvial loam with a relatively low pH.
• Blueberry bushes are happiest at a soil pH  of 4.8-5.0 and perform poorly at anything above 5.8-6.0.

Interesting stuff:

• Based on data from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (Boston, MA), blueberries are among the fruits with the highest antioxidant activity.
• Blueberries have been classified by various sources as a “super food.” Here’s a good portal for  nutritional research on blueberries from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.
• Check out this blueberry-centric site from the Culinary Institute of America – featuring contemporary recipes, videos, and more for commercial chefs – all with blueberries!
• Here’s a tidbit from the above site: “Batter pH affects blueberry color. If your muffin, cake or pancake batter is too basic (high pH), blueberries will have a greenish haze around them. Adjust the acidity of your batter by replacing some of the liquid with buttermilk, sour cream, applesauce or citrus juice.”