Blueberries

Three generations of blueberry farmers, from left, Bryan, Forris and Chris Barnhill of Ivanhoe

he South is blessed with a number of summertime sweet treats grown right here — strawberries, peaches, watermelons, and of course, blueberries.

However, there are a lot of factors that go into growing a successful blueberry crop. If anyone knows what those factors are, it’s fourth-generation blueberry farmer Chris Barnhill of Ivanhoe.

Ivanhoe, Harrells and White Lake are the hotbeds for blueberry growers in North Carolina. Te reason for that is the acidic soil,

TBarnhill explained. “Blueberries like this pH level. Frederick Coville, kind of the founder of blueberry farming, his fascination with blueberries was that soils that will kill other plants, that’s where blueberries thrive.” Coville was a botanist who worked to create a better blueberry with farming methods that are still used today. Coville cultivated the first successful blueberry crop in 1916, in New Jersey, which remains one of the top blueberry producers in the United States, along with North Carolina and Michigan.

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“Blueberry farming quickly spread to other areas where growing conditions were right,” reads “Te Blueberry Story” on www.nj.gov. “Blueberries need an acidic soil, an abundant supply of soil moisture, and good drainage, so the roots can get air during the growing season.”

“Tey’re really grown all over the world now,” Barnhill said, “but the problem is that [other areas] have to amend soils. In North Carolina, longevity is key. Most of our bushes will last about 40 years. Cultivated bushes can last 100 years or more.”

In North Carolina, 90 percent of the blueberry production is within three counties: Bladen, Sampson and Pender, due to the soils.

Just like animals, blueberry bushes are bred to get the best quality results. “It’s the same thing as with people — the berry will be combination of the mama and daddy,” Barnhill said.

Te N.C. Department of Agriculture says that there are two main families of blueberries, each with three different types of berries. Te first is Major Highbush. Its varieties are Croatan, Jersey and Murphy. Tis type is ready to be harvested early in the season and can withstand cooler weather than others. Major Highbush is used mostly when sold fresh and not frozen.

Te other type of blueberry is Rabbiteye. Tese varieties include Premier, Tifblue and Powderblue. Tese blueberries are ready later in the season and can’t take as cold a chill as the Major Highbush variety.

“Tere are about 30 variations of other breeds,” Barnhill said. “Your preference really depends on each person. Just like some people like Chevrolet, some like Ford, people like different types of blueberries.”

As far as exports, Barnhill said most North Carolina blueberries

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remain within the U.S., while New Jersey ships to other countries, and Michigan blueberries are mostly shipped to Canada and a few European countries.

Most blueberry farmers in the state are part of the North Carolina Blueberry Council, a nonprofit corporation that was created to “promote efficient production, packing, handling, storing, processing, and marketing of blueberries and to secure and distribute to its members information and trends relative to the operation and management of the blueberry business,” according to the website, ncblueberrycouncil.org.

Barnhill has served on the council and has represented North Carolina on the national level. “I was actually the first chair of the national council from North Carolina,” he said, “so I was able to bring a lot of that influence back to North Carolina, and share it with other farmers in our area.”

Blueberries are highly regarded as one of nature’s “super foods.” Tey are a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, iron, potassium and magnesium, as well as providing a healthy dose of carbs and fiber. Tey’re also fat-free and low calorie, at about 45 calories per one cup serving.

According to the N.C. Blueberry Council, “Research has concluded that blueberries have many health benefits. Scientific evidence suggests that along with powerful antioxidants that enhance immune defenses, blueberries are beneficial to the nervous system. Other studies show that blueberries help maintain cognitive function, especially in older women.”

Te Blueberry Council also provides the following information for choosing the best and tastiest blueberries.

Ripe blueberries are plump and deep blue with a dusting of gray on the surface.

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Opposite page: Most blueberry bushes can survive a cold snap. In fact, the blueberry bushes on the Barnhill farm in Ivanhoe have survived at least 40 years, through hurricanes, ice storms and more.

A blueberry that is firm or shows any hint of red isn’t fully ripened and will likely be tart. White and green colored blueberries are not ripe; leave them on the bush or in the store as they will not ripen. Blueberries that have turned purple, red or bluish may ripen after they are picked.

Do not expose picked blueberries to sun or heat in closed bags or containers. Blueberries are fragile and heating them up will shorten how long they can be stored without freezing or cooking. You will note that in the store the containers have lots of holes. Tat is so they can breathe!

When inspecting packed blueberries, look for smooth, blue skin. If you see wrinkled blueberries, fuzzy white mold or leakage, the blueberries are in the process of spoiling!

When you get your blueberries home, do not wash them before freezing, or until you are ready to eat or cook with them. Washing blueberries prematurely makes them mushy. Sort through your blueberries, removing any with mold. Removing the moldy blueberries will keep one from spoiling the whole bunch.

Refrigerate your blueberries as soon as possible. If refrigerated, fresh-picked blueberries will keep up to two weeks in ideal conditions. Best to eat them within a week for best taste and texture.

For more information about blueberries, including tips for growing them, recipes and more, visit northcarolinablueberries.com.

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