Summer Staycation Ideas: PYO Blueberries
Maine is known for three things - lobster, potatoes, and our favorite summer fruit, blueberries! In fact, did you know that Maine produces nearly 15% of the world's blueberry crop?
The low bush blueberries Maine's known for tend to be juicier and more flavorful than their high bush cousins. Some other fun facts about Maine's official fruit:
Wild blueberries are one of just three commercially grown fruits that are native to North America - the other two are cranberries and American grapes.
A blueberry field is known as a "barren." The University of Maine estimates that wild blueberry barrens cover nearly 45,000 acres in Maine.
Blueberry plants need a lot of iron in order to produce fruit, so they thrive in Maine's acidic soil.
Blueberry bushes spread underground. A blueberry barren may look like hundreds of plants, but a single blueberry bush can grow to be the size of a football field!
Maine's blueberry crop is typically ready for harvest between late July and September, which makes August the perfect time to get your hands on the perfect pint of Maine's official fruit.
While a lot of Maine's blueberries are commercially harvested, you can pick your own berries at many Maine farms. Maine U-Pick Farms is a great resource to find a farm near you. Can't make it out to pick berries yourself? A lot of farms, like Beddington Ridge Farm, can be found at your local farmers market - find the nearest market to you here.
Whether you rake your own berries or hand pick the perfect pint at the farmer's market, let us know your favorite way to eat Maine wild blueberries!