Blueberries are popular with kids because they are mighty tasty. What’s more, they’re known to be highly nutritious since they’ve got a lot of vitamin C. Blueberries can be harvested in early May and on through to August. So, try to find a blueberry farm nearby and grab a bucketload of this delicious fruit.
When picking the fruit, choose the blueberries that are plump and blue. Let the green ones remain on the bush so that they can ripen later in the season.
Interestingly enough, blueberries have very few pests (except for birds), so according to PickYourOwn.org hardly any pesticides are used on blueberries.
Once picked, blueberries keep better without being washed — owing to moisture accelerating the ripening process. You can store blueberries (unwashed) in the refrigerator, and they’ll keep for up to 10 days. If you choose to store them in the freezer, you can do so provided they are still unwashed as well. Washing them before you put them in the freezer can make them stick together. Instead, keep them dry even when you store them in the freezer — that way they can easily pour into containers in the designated amounts you want for a recipe. However, both fresh blueberries and the frozen ones have to be washed before serving or even before use in a recipe.
Curiously, the US National Library of Medicine states that, “Drinking milk along with blueberries might lower the potential health benefits of blueberries. Separating the ingestion of blueberries and milk by 1-2 hours might prevent this interaction.”
Blueberries can be grown in your garden. You can ask for assistance at your local garden shop or nursery. Moreover, you can do research with a helpful blueberry guide like the one shown in the picture from Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc. Another great resource is Monrovia.com.
Meanwhile, here’s our video showcasing our recent visit to a blueberry farm:
