“You want to tickle them.”
Tickle them?
“Wiggle your fingers under a clump of berries, like you’re gently tickling the fruit, and they’ll fall off into your hand.”
I’m learning the fine art of blueberry picking at The Fruit Basket, a small orchard in Abbotsford, BC, about an hour’s drive east of Vancouver. It’s a sunny, cloudless day in late August, and the bushes are heavy with fruit.
Fruit Basket owner Wilhelmina de Jager, who planted her blueberries back in 1986 after arriving in BC from Holland, hands us each an old-fashioned wooden basket and leads us into the fields.
I’ve never really thought about there being different varieties of blueberries, but Wilhelmina explains that in BC, there are typically three blueberry crops each year. “Dukes” are the early season berries, and “Bluecrop” are the mid-season fruit (on the vines now).
Some growers also raise “Elliotts,” which are ready to pick in the fall. The Elliotts are more tart than the other types, which makes them good for baking.
According to Debbie Etsell, executive director of the BC Blueberry Council, Canada is the world’s third largest producer of blueberries (the U.S. is Number 1), and more than 98 percent of Canada’s blueberries are grown in BC.
And of the BC berries, the vast majority grow within an hour’s drive of Vancouver, primarily in the Fraser Valley communities of Richmond, Langley, Delta, and Abbotsford.
One for the basket, one for me. Mmm, these berries are tasty!
How to Keep Your Berries Fresh
If you don’t eat up all your blueberries before you get home, you can store them in the refrigerator for several days.
Fresh berries often have a white powdery dust on them called “bloom” that protects the fruit. Don’t wash them until you’re ready to use them.
You can freeze fresh berries, too. Don’t wash the berries before freezing; unwashed berries will stay fresh longer. Wash and gently dry them when you’re ready to use them.
Blueberry Recipes
What should you do with all those blueberries you pick?
I always want to make blueberry pies, crisps, muffins, or pancakes, but my family usually gobbles up the fresh berries before I get the chance.
If I did manage to sneak into the kitchen before the berries were devoured, I’d try this recipe for Blueberry Granola Bars, which would make a great snack for hiking, traveling, or even picking more blueberries!
Power Pack Granola Bars
Recipe courtesy of the BC Blueberry Council
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped walnuts
6 Tbsp. (90 ml) vegetable oil, divided
3/4 cup (190 ml) light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. (2 ml) ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. (1 ml) salt
3/4 cup (175 ml) whole wheat flour
1-1/2 cups (375 ml) fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries
When you’re back home from your travels, or from the blueberry fields, what’s more refreshing than a blueberry cocktail?
Alicia Bodaly, co-owner and general manager at Restaurant 62 (2001 McCallum Road, Abbotsford, BC, 604-855-3545) in the heart of BC blueberry country, developed this summery, and yes, flowery, blueberry drink.
Blueberries and Flowers Cocktail
Recipe courtesy of Restaurant 62
4 blueberries
1 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Simple syrup
Soda water
Break the skins of the blueberries (you can crush them gently in a mortar and pestle), then shake them hard with vodka, St. Germain, lemon juice, and ice. Add simple syrup to taste. Pour into a short glass and top with soda water.
If you go…
The blueberry season in British Columbia typically runs from late June or early July until early October.
The best time for blueberry picking is July and August, when most farms are open. Some U-pick farms have a late season crop, which lets you pick into late September or the beginning of October.
Always phone before heading out, even in peak season, to make sure that the farm is open and berries are available.
For a list of BC farms where you can pick your own blueberries, check the BC Blueberry Council website.
Among the BC berry farms still open for late season picking are:
- Krause Berry Farms, 6179 248th St., Langley, BC, 604-856-5757
- Maan Farms, 790 McKenzie Rd., Abbotsford, BC, 604-864-5723
- The Fruit Basket (28218 Layman Ave., Abbotsford, BC, 604-856-6211) expects to reopen for U-pick in September.
Restaurant 62 (2001 McCallum Road, Abbotsford, BC, 604-855-3545) is open for lunch Monday through Friday and for dinner nightly. Check out their menus here.
Do you have a favorite blueberry recipe to share? Please leave a comment and let us know.
And if you’re a food blogger, here’s how to link your post to WanderFood Wednesday.
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Photo credits:
Granola bars photo courtesy of the BC Blueberry Council
All other photos ©Carolyn B. Heller