Every summer me and my children go to one of the Alabama's "Pick Your Own" farms to  pick blueberries. It has been a family tradition, our "to-do" thing for the month of June and July for many years.

It is a lot of fun for everyone, even when the kids were very young they loved picking their own blueberries. Blueberries are easy to pick,  easy to reach for every height, and very clean. It is a must to scream out loud "I found a good one!", when you come across a bush that has a lot more blueberries then other bushes. Regardless of what time of the blueberry season you are on the farm, " I found a good one!" is heard many, many times.

"First, you got to fill up you tummy , then start filling up your bucket" my daughter will advise you.

We love blueberries and often go a few times per season to bring back several buckets to freeze for later. Frozen blueberries last the whole year and are great for smoothies and muffins.

Our family drives out to John T Lyon's farm (information included below).

Mr. Lyon will open his farm for blueberry pickers on June 19th and he estimates that blueberries will last until the first week of August. He said, over the phone, that this year they have been blessed with great crop and there are many blueberries.

If you have Pick Your Own place you go to get fresh fruit, please share this information with us, your neighbors, by sending in an article or posting in forums.

John T Lyon's farm is located outside of Columbiana: 1700 Hwy 56, Wilsonville, AL 35186 (Google map ).
Phone: (205) 669-9205.
Directions: Between Columbiana & Wilsonville; approx. 8 miles south of Hwy 280 & 23 miles south of B'ham.
CLOSED: Sunday and Monday. Price is $ 8.00 per gallon, and $5 per 1/2 gallon.

Why pick your own?

The quality is much better than any store or farm stand, when you choose the fruit and get it right from the plant. It looks and tastes better.   The produce is healthier, too, because it is fresher and you can choose organically grown farms.  The costs are usually substantially less; the farmer doesn't need to pay labor to pick, and he has no packaging or shipping costs.

Picking tips:

Select plump, full blueberries with a light gray-blue color. A berry with any hint of red isn't fully ripened, and once picked, blueberries won't ripen and further.

Since blueberries hang on the bushes in bunches a but like grapes do, the easiest and fastest way to pick them is hold your bucket under them in one hand and with your other hand, cup a ripe bunch and gently rub them with your fingers.  The ripe berries will drop into your bucket, while the unripe ones will remain attached to the bush.

Storing tips: 

• Once picked, don't place the berries, still warm from the sun, in a closed bag or container. Leave the container open so moisture doesn't form in the container.
• Don't wash berries until just before using to prevent berries from becoming mushy.
• Chill berries soon after picking to increase shelf life.  If refrigerated, fresh-picked blueberries will keep 10 to 14 days.
• Freeze berries in freezer containers without washing to keep the skins from toughening.  Place berries one layer deep. Freeze, then pour the frozen berries into freezer containers. Because unwashed blueberries freeze individually, they can be easily poured from containers in desired amounts. Remember both frozen and fresh berries should be rinsed and drained just before serving. Just before using, wash the berries in cold water.
• Nutrition and miscellaneous facts:  1 cup  (143 grams) of blueberries is 84 calories (technically, kcal).  Blueberries contain no cholesterol or fat and are also low in calories. Blueberries are high in dietary fiber, Vitamin A and niacin. They contain iron and other trace minerals and are a fair source of Vitamin C. 
• Blueberries are ranked No. 1 in antioxidant activity compared with 40 other commercially available fruits and vegetables. That means a serving of blueberries has more of the antioxidant power you need to fight aging, cancer and heart disease.
• Put this in your pipe! Indians in the Northwest Territory smoked wild blueberries to preserve them for the winter. (Bet you didn't know that!)
  

Where to pick your own fresh fruit:

http://www.pickyourown.org/AL.htm

How to grown your own blueberries int he home garden:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1422.html

More information:

http://www.pickyourown.org/blueberries.htm