Berry Grateful for Our Farmers!
Berry Grateful for Our Farmers!
By: Anna Nguyen, AmeriCorps Community Food Fellow and Blueberry Enthusiast
Summer is in full swing in our little section of the world, and you know what that means- It’s berry season! Various berries are grown all over Georgia, including blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, elderberries, and huckleberries, but in this article, I’ll be highlighting the small but mighty blueberry, which just so happens to be the No. 1 fruit produced in Georgia. According to Georgia Grown, they beat the peach with 18,328 acres producing 39 million pounds of blueberries valued at over $120 million!
For the past two decades, blueberries have gained A-list celebrity status. In every article that lists the top “superfoods” that you need to consume, blueberries always make the list. While there is actually no such thing as a “superfood”, these perfect blue spheres are packed with antioxidants, which protect your cells from damage due to free radicals. Blueberries are also a good source of vitamin C, which is known to boost immune function, and vitamin K, known to aid in wound healing. Blueberries are also a good source of fiber, at about 4 g of fiber per 1 cup serving of berries. Incredible!
Blueberries are perennial flowering plants within the section Cyanococcus under the genus Vaccinium. Fruits that also fall under this genus include cranberries, huckleberries, and lingonberries. These amazing little orbs of sweetness are native to North America, and various varieties are found across the continent. Three species of blueberries are grown here in Georgia: rabbiteye, southern highbush, and northern highbush. Many orchardists and home growers plant a variety of early, mid and late season varieties to spread risk as a hedge against freak weather events that can take out an entire field of delicate flowering bushes in an hour.
At Athens Orchard (Athens, GA), Blake grows blueberries alongside many other perennial food crops including blackberries, blueberries, kiwi berries, figs, pomegranates, pineapple guavas, pawpaws, fuyu persimmons, jujubes and chestnuts on 12 acres using organic practices and minimal inputs. Each is meticulously hand picked and packed, ensuring that only the freshest, ripest and sweetest make it to market. No need to take a gamble when choosing your fruits!
“We planted our first blueberry, pomegranate and fig trees back in 2019, and we’ve watched our orchard mature right alongside Marigold Farmers Market. It feels really good to grow fruit that my own kids are excited to eat, and even better to share it with our friends and neighbors each week”
If you’re buzzing with excitement to get your hands on some of these amazing, organically-grown blueberries from Athens Orchard, you’re in luck! We’ll have half pint and full pint containers at market on Saturday as well as blueberry popsicles made with the same beautiful blueberries and a touch of honey from our very own Athens Bees, because we all know that there’s nothing “cooler” than making good food choices and supporting local agriculture!
For the home blueberry grower, LavenderBlu Farms (Winterville, GA) will have live blueberry plants for sale at Marigold Farmers Market this Fall and Spring, as well as apple and lavender plants and veggie starts (they are also bringing summer produce to market now!). They have 600 blueberry plants in the ground and are hoping to open as a U-Pick next year!
