About Blueberries
Blueberries as we know them are relatively new to the agriculture scene, only having been cultivated domestically for about the last hundred years. Compare that to apples that have been cultivated for thousands of years! Blueberries are native to North America, with their wild counterparts being an important food source for Indigenous peoples, particularly through the winter as they tend to store well, and for medicinal purposes. Blueberries first began their domestication process in the 1900s, which was challenging given a lack of understanding for the plant, but was accomplished by USDA researcher Frank Coville and a cranberry farmer named Elizabeth White. Coville discovered that blueberries require highly acidic soils to prosper, which was not previously known and likely led to the domestication challenges experienced by early growers. Blueberry production has now increased exponentially worldwide. (University of Illinois Extension, 2019)
Why Blueberries?
Blueberries are well-known and frequently labeled to be a “superfood”. Surprisingly, the nutritional strength and health benefits of blueberries are actually found in their blue color created by anthocyanins! Anthocyanins help protect our bodies from heart disease and type 2 diabetes in addition to promoting gut health, reducing inflammation, and even providing cancer-fighting benefits. Making blueberries a regular part of your diet can help with cognitive abilities, and a mere one-cup serving of blueberries every day provides 25% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C while being a low calorie snack option. (Mayo Clinic, 2022)
In addition to their numerous health benefits, blueberries are also an environmentally conscious food choice if purchased farm-direct through local farmers. Blueberry plants can be productive for over twenty years, limiting the frequency of soil disturbance required for replanting that may lead to erosion, compaction, and nutrient deficits. Additionally, they are great at carbon sequestration and generally have minimal irrigation needs due to our climate and compared to other crops. At our farm, our blueberries are packaged into larger cardboard boxes, minimizing the use of single-use plastics. We have minimal organic waste, as berries dropped in the field during the harvest process are food for wildlife such as birds and bears, and fruit sorted out during our packing process is turned into juice.
Why Blueberries?
Blueberries are well-known and frequently labeled to be a “superfood”. Surprisingly, the nutritional strength and health benefits of blueberries are actually found in their blue color created by anthocyanins! Anthocyanins help protect our bodies from heart disease and type 2 diabetes in addition to promoting gut health, reducing inflammation, and even providing cancer-fighting benefits. Making blueberries a regular part of your diet can help with cognitive abilities, and a mere one-cup serving of blueberries every day provides 25% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C while being a low calorie snack option. (Mayo Clinic, 2022)
In addition to their numerous health benefits, blueberries are also an environmentally conscious food choice if purchased farm-direct through local farmers. Blueberry plants can be productive for over twenty years, limiting the frequency of soil disturbance required for replanting that may lead to erosion, compaction, and nutrient deficits. Additionally, they are great at carbon sequestration and generally have minimal irrigation needs due to our climate and compared to other crops. At our farm, our blueberries are packaged into larger cardboard boxes, minimizing the use of single-use plastics. We have minimal organic waste, as berries dropped in the field during the harvest process are food for wildlife such as birds and bears, and fruit sorted out during our packing process is turned into juice.
Blueberry Varieties
Duke
Duke is the first blueberry cultivar/variety in our fields to ripen each season – with the first color on berries often being seen around mid-June and the first pick at our farm taking place around the first week of July. This variety naturally has less foliage and is more easily pollinated than others. It is also very prevalent across our regional fresh blueberry market. It can have up to 2-4 picks across the season and is a large, firm berry that tends to be relatively robust and holds quality well. Notably, fewer declines have been observed in flavor post-harvest for this variety than others. Duke berries have excellent flavor and a firm, crisp texture that make it a popular customer choice when in season! Read more about Duke here.
Bluecrop
Bluecrop is usually the second or third variety to ripen each season on our farms – with the first color on berries often being seen around early July and the first pick taking place towards the end of the month. This variety tends to be a large plant with willowy growth and is well known to be a sweet, candy-like, softer variety that has a shorter shelf life but makes an excellent snack eaten fresh or as a freezer berry! Read more about Bluecrop here.
Valor
Valor is a new variety that we will start harvesting for the first time this coming season. It’s a family favorite for us and we cannot wait to share! Valor berries are typically very large in size with medium firmness and a well-balanced, distinct flavor. We have found the shelf-life of Valor to be exceptional when refrigerated, retaining quality for up to several weeks. Valor generally ripens towards the end of July. Read more about Valor here.
Calypso
Similar to Valor, Calypso is a fairly new variety that has established itself locally, although the majority of this fruit is being exported through commercial packers due to its firmness, large size, and long shelf-life. Calypso plants are known to be vigorous and high yielding. Calypso generally has a light-tart flavor profile that sweetens as it’s stored in the refrigerator and has a delicious snappy crunch. Our fields will be in their third year of production this year and this variety has readily established itself as a popular mid-season choice for customers! A great variety to keep in the fridge and eat fresh, and you can find this variety ripening towards the end of July as well. Read more about Calypso here.
Elliott
Elliott typically ripens towards the end of August and rounds out our harvest season and farm-fresh blueberry availability! It typically produces medium sized berries that are particularly tart in flavor. While not as sweet as our other varieties, this variety is known to be extremely high in antioxidants and can make a lovely healthy-packed addition to a sweet yogurt, cereal, or smoothie. Read more about Elliott here.
Aurora
The timing of the first pick of Aurora is typically towards the end of August, coinciding with the initial pick of Elliott. Aurora berries are generally medium to large sized with a better flavor profile and tendency to maintain quality than Elliott. They are dark blue in color and our sweetest berry option late in the season. Read more about Aurora here.