U-Pick Blueberries


I love summer. Nothing like getting locally grown fruits and vegetables out of my own garden, from the farmers market or from a local small farm. This week, less than 5 miles from my home, a small blueberry farm opened for picking. We showed up about noon to Once in a Blue Moon Berries. Mike, the steely blue-eyed owner of this gentlemen's farm, chatted with us out in the field while picking berries—dropping the blue beauties into our collection buckets.

Mike and Janet Suttles take great pride in their little farm, which produces three types of blueberries, including sweet  Baby Blues. They use only sustainable methods to nourish and pamper their prized berries—picking weeds by hand and treating with organic products.

Those berries looked happy and healthy.

You can find Once in a Blue Moon Berries on a bucolic country road south of the American River in El Dorado Hills, California.

Open Now Through June
9am - 4pm
Wednesday - Sunday
Once in a Blue Moon Berries
1820 Arroyo Vista Way
El Dorado Hills, CA



916-600-8962



The Suttles encourage you to call for arranging a special time for your group. Bring a picnic and enjoy yourself.
To keep the berries at their freshest, don't wash until you're ready to eat. If you plan on freezing them, carefully wash them (use a gentle fruit/vegetable spray or vinegar and water), then spread them out on paper towels to dry thoroughly before putting them in the freezer. 
Blueberries are very good for you—high in antioxidants, with significantly higher levels found in those grown organically. You'll be happy to know that freezing will not affect the nutrients of the berry. They are indigenous to North America and were consumed by native Americans for centuries. 

Most recently, blueberries were found to help memory. For those watching their Glycemic Index (GI), blueberries are low on the scale, making them a good choice when trying to reduce sugar in the diet.

Check out this website for more health info on blueberries plus some recipes.

Feeling blue? Then go for a pick-me-up and pick some blueberries. Search for U-Pick farms close to you.

Do you like to pick your own berries and fruit? What types of fruit have you picked from a small farm?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Carrot, Butternut Squash & Ginger Soup

Image
This soup is so delicious. I suggest serving this any time of the year. It will warm your tummy in the winter. Or be a wonderful first course to a great summer gathering. Everyone will love it! The sweetness of the apple and the tang of the ginger is a bonus combination. It's a blender soup. Since the Vita Mix can heat whatever you blend until it's piping hot, you could skip the stove top steps and put it all in the blender. I've made this soup twice and followed the instruction here. However, just saying, if you are really in a hurry, you might try the all-blender route. Carrot, Butternut Squash & Ginger Soup from Vita Mix yield 8-10 servings category Soup cuisine Vegan ingredients 1 Tbsp olive oil 4 carrots, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 minced garlic clove 3 Tbsp of peeled and diced fresh ginger 1 C peeled and cubed butternut squash 1 cored and diced apple 4 C (1 32 oz box) vegetable broth 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp tumeric 1 (14oz) can of light coconut milk 1 ...
Read more

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon & Capers

Image
I know many people do not like brussels sprouts , my husband included. But I love them and they are so good for you. I started making this very easy brussels sprouts side dish some time ago and guess what? My husband likes it! Being one of the cruciferous vegetables it's great in the fight against cancer. Plus recent studies show a unique benefit of protecting DNA. I need that... and guess what? So do you! Try this out on your reluctant brussels sprouts crowd and see if you can win them over. Sautéed Brussel Sprouts from Chris Pedersen yield 2-3 servings category Side Dish cuisine Vegan ingredients 2 Tbsp coconut oil 20+ brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved (about 2 Cups) 1/4 C yellow onion, sliced 1 Tbsp of capers with juice Juice of 1/2 lemon sea salt & pepper to taste directions 1. Heat coconut oil in wok over medium high heat. Add brussel sprouts and stir until browned. 2. Add onion and stir until cooked and slightly browned. 3. Add capers and lemon juice and stir. Add ...
Read more

Three Bean Salad

Image
My green beans are producing enough for a meal every day. Unfortunately those lengthy legumes are hard to spot amongst like-colored foliage. Plus foraging through the greenery, my arms get a bit chafed from the leaves. Lots of veggies have nasty little prickles on them that can scratch and poke at you. The best part of those green delights? ... the plants were completely volunteer this year. That's the bonus of composting and then working the lovely completed soil into the garden in early spring. Green beans  are rich in carotenoids and antioxidants plus silicon, an important mineral for bone health. Add to that a healthy dose of vitamins C, K, A, manganese, folate, fiber, vitamin B6, molybdenum, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B2, iron and vitamin B1. Green beans even provide protein and omega-3 essential oil. Store fresh green beans unwashed in a plastic bag in the crisper. They will keep for a week. They freeze well while retaining valuable nutrients for up to six months. If you o...
Read more