Blueberries for the Win! U-Pick! (Vlog)
Today we visited the local blueberry u-pick operation about 20 miles from home.
Our blueberries are just getting established so we decided to fill up on blueberries for the winter from this well established operation. They've been at it 30 years and have a lot of berries!
We rigged up a simple bucket-bungee system to facilitate 2 handed picking and we're both happy with the results. This trip is the second of the year and comes closer to the end of the picking season. I was amazed during the first visit just how busy this place was.
After some time spent amongst plants, we are happy to have 8 gallons in the freezer.
Blueberries are well known for their potent antioxidant activity, and for good reason.
They are one of the most antioxidant rich berries and are an often overlooked superfood in favor of the exotic and trendy ones. Blueberries have a wide range of antioxidants, meaning they support the body in numerous ways. In an era when we are exposed to so much of the not-so-good stuff getting plenty of antioxidants can be one the best strategies for supporting health and wellness.
The rich pigments are a sure sign these berries are rich in antioxidants and it's commonly known that blueberries help with eyesight. A relative of blueberries (bilberries) were given to fighter pilots in WWII to improve their eyesight.
What's more is the fiber content supports gut health and immunity by providing food for your inner heard of microbes. The low glycemic nature of blueberries means they won't spike your blood sugar as much as most fruits. They are an essential part of the diet and we're happy to be harvesting and freezing them this year.
Check out how we spent our morning and see how we're thinking of our future selves.
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My video is at DLive
We pick the wild blueberries about 45 mins from here on top of a mountain. We usually put in 90#. But they won't be ready for picking until early August. All of ours get frozen except the ones that make the giant shortcake with whipped cream. :))
Looks like you guys got a nice haul there!
wow! 90# you guys are rock stars! this place was a little over picked. i guess the amish came the first day and took 1000s of #s... hmmm!! yeah that makes sense you're a bit later. mmmm shortcake and whipped cream with blueberries :D <3
Looks like an awesome place, our blueberries here grow in little bushes at ground level, those trees look much easier!
Ya these are highbush berries that make picking WAY easier. But nothing compares to the flavor of lowbush berries.
We planted southern highbush and rabbit eyes and are excited to see how they do. Low bush berries don't like the heat we have here.
Blueberries are not abundant in our country, that’s why it’s expensive in the supermarket. It’s fun to see you guys harvesting a lot of blueberries. Thanks a lot for the video and bunch of photos.
Aww, where do you live? There's always a lot of work that goes into berries that makes the price increase. Happy to share our experience!
I’m living here in Philippines. It’s really fun to watch your experienced. I’m learning at same time.
Fun post! We used to take my boys berry picking when they were young and we lived in Minnesota. Lots of U-Pick 'ems around Minnesota and of course the pie shops :) I remember the kids eating more than made it into the buckets when they were small.
Haha, one for the bucket, 2 for me. I feel that. I think it's a great exposure for kids to pick berries. For adults too!
Blueberries are one of our staples. Every morning we have a chocolate, blueberry, mint smoothie - delicious and nutritious. We have wild blueberries growing in the front part of our acreage and also on the crown land behind us. It's the low bush ones that ripen end of August and beginning of September. We are usually picking right up until frost takes them.
Chocolate mint and blueberries yum yum. I made a smoothy with sone of our egg yolks And a bunch of blueberries and was truly Devine.
You're blessed to have access to the rich wild berries. The low bush berries are unbeatable in flavor, by a long shot.
We're watching the wild blackberries closely anticipating picking time...
Yes I do prefer the low bush blueberries and feel very fortunate that there is such an abundance of berries here in the Boreal Forests of Saskatchewan. Berry picking is a big part of our summers. What other types of berries do you have growing there? Also what other type of foods do you harvest from the wild?
that's awesome!
we have an abundance of wild blackberries, mulberries, elderberries, some serviceberries, wild raspberries... we like to harvest paw paws, persimmons (fruit and leaves for tea), nettles, wild onions, watercress, wild carrot, morels and other wild mushrooms, hunt fish/deer, various medicines, walnuts...
what about you?
Uohh1 Sounds like you have some wonderful fruits and berries there. I like to harvest the nettle, mushrooms, sarsaparilla, fiddleheads, different herbs for teas and medicines, then strawberries, raspberries, pin cherries, saskatoons, chock-cherries, blueberries, cranberries and hazelnuts if you can beat the squirrels to them! We live in wild rice country too which we trade goods with the harvesters. We tap the birch trees in the spring also for a spring tonic! It's wonderful to have such abundance around you and we feel really blessed!
We have been picking bowls and bowls of blueberries from our bushes as well. They store well in the freezer, but I prefer the fresh ones. Blueberries hold well on the bushes, so we have been only picking what we want to eat fresh. I love blueberry season. Birds love them too. I can hear them complain every time when I am picking blueberries...."we want some, too. Take off the bird netting..."
Wonder what kind of varieties those are in your photos. They have a much deeper blue than the ones I have.
Nice to hear you're picking the goods lately ;) they are truly a fantastic food, glad you're able up enjoy the fresh gems. I think these are blue crop or blue jay.
wow, I am so jealous....this looks amazing. You will enjoy these all winter! (if they last that long ;)
;) right if they last that long!! had a blue smoothie today... more to come. xoxox
Wow - Blueberries are along the price range of unicorn penises here in Thailand.... haha... I have never actually seen more than a tiny punnet at once. :) SUPER Nice!! :)
lol... quite a rare specimen where u are... but hey you prob have a ton of awesome tropical fruits where u arE! i'm sure i'd be quite jealous to see your market options ;) that said, the blues are quite awesome!!
That's lovely. What do you do with them in their frozen state?
They grow wildly here. I've been planning on getting some too. But my freezer is not that big. Actually quite small....
lots of smoothies!!! awesome they grow wild where u are!!!
please tell me that you at AT LEAST twice as many as you picked.
Lol did eat til we felt sick 😂😂