Visit to a Local Blueberry Farm

Ripe blueberry cluster

Yesterday, my boys and I went to a local farm to pick blueberries, because our homegrown crop isn't enough for our needs.  We've gone to Blue Heaven Farms in Goshen, AR in previous years and they've been fine to deal with.  However, when I was looking up their phone number, I came across information about Clear Creek Farms.  Clear Creek uses no pesticides on their farm and to me and my family, that's important.  It's out Wedington Road near Savoy with large signs clearly marking the entrance.  Prices were $10 per gallon if they pick the berries or $8 a gallon if you pick.  They were sold out of prepicked berries, but even though we are reaching the end of the season, there were still enough berries on the bushes to make getting a few gallons easy.

I used http://www.pickyourown.org/AR.htm to find the farms.  They have farm listings for every US state and many other countries.  Check and see what cheap, fresh, direct from the farm produce you can find in your area.  

Good clean fun

So we arrived and sunscreened up.  We got a one gallon bucket from the owner and went to work.  Blueberry bushes grow about 6 feet tall and were planted in long rows about 10 feet apart.  Leave the green and red berries on the bush.  What you want to look for are fat, dark blue berries with a frosted over appearance and if they are all in a cluster as shown above, that makes picking them easier and more efficient.  

Patented hands free bucket carrying device

I always loop the handle of the bucket through my belt to free up both hands for picking.  If you don't normally wear a belt, you might want to when you go picking.  When the bucket is full, take it to the owner and he'll put the berries in a bag for you to take home.

A few tips:

- EAT a few berries as you go.  It's expected by farm owners and is part of the experience.  It keeps kids happy and makes it less like work and more of a fun outing.  This is where picking at a pesticide free farm is helpful...

-Call ahead to make sure there are berries and that they are going to be open.

-Bring cash.  Most places don't accept checks or credit cards.

Wild blackberries

We found some bonus wild blackberries growing in one row.  Delicious!