A fruitful way of life

“Neither of us grew up on a farm, but we had started our own little oasis type of garden in our backyard in Illinois,” Ben said. “We had been looking for an opportunity like the intentional community that brought us to the farm.”

Natalie agreed.

“We also wanted to raise our daughter somewhere she could have more freedom, not in the city,” she said. “She was our biggest inspiration for change and continues to motivate us.”

There is a lot of hard work the McAvoys put in to tend the four-acre farm site. As certifi ed organic producers, they must be innovative in the ways they manage pests. To combat birds, they place nets over their bushes. This summer, they started using a portable vacuum for Japanese beetles.

Promoting soil health is a big part of Blue Fruit Farm’s philosophy. They make compost using materials from the farm and locally sourced horse manure. The McAvoys use things like fi sh concentrate to provide different nutrients as well. The fi sh concentrate gets added to their drip irrigation system that waters the plants.

Before Blue Fruit Farm, the site had previously been used in organic vegetable farming for several decades. Eventually in 2008, the land was fenced in, but growing little of anything other than weeds. Riddle and Ford saw it as an opportunity to start growing perennial berries not readily available in the local food supply.

“It took Jim and Joyce a few years to get this land suitable for blueberries,” Ben said. “The soil pH of the Driftless area of southeast Minnesota is too alkaline for the fruits we grow to prosper naturally,” so Riddle and Ford spent many years amending the soil to get it ready for blueberries. They built up the soil with cover crops, organic material and sulfur to turn the pH more acidic.

“Jim and Joyce pretty much wrote the book on organics,” Ben said. “We have been so fortunate to learn from them.”

Natalie agreed.

“We aren’t fl ying blind because they have already made mistakes and learned from them. There were certain plants that did not do well here, which they ended up removing and replacing with more suitable varieties. They inform us about everything they have dealt with.”

Riddle and Ford took a large step back from the farm this year as they enjoy their new place in New Hampshire, but the McAvoys feel well prepared for their fi rst season alone. They can still call on the owners if anything were to come up; so far things have been going well.

“The fruit is selling faster than we can pick it,” Ben said. “That’s a good problem to have.”

As the berry season pushes on and harvest continues, the McAvoys still have the future in mind. They are planting more bushes to provide for the demand they are getting this year. They are also working to build more fi nancial sustainability with the farm.

The McAvoys are growing health in the berry bushes and their efforts are catching wind in the southeast Minnesota area.

“I am excited to be out in this beautiful place growing things that are good for customers and giving our daughter a place to adventure, learn and grow,” Natalie said.

Ben agreed.

“I feel like we are doing something good for us, others and the environment,” he said.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED Blueberries ripen on a bush Aug. 10 at the Blue Fruit Farm in Winona. Blueberries are known to be high in antioxidants and are one of the more commonly known fruits grown at the farm.

Ben’s favorite dairy-freesmoothie

Ingredients: 1/2 frozen banana 3/4 cup aronia berries 1 ice cube of coconut milk (or plain dairy free yogurt) 6 ounces coconut water

Optional: 1 tablespoon collagen 1 tablespoon ground flax, chia, or hemp seeds

Top off ingredients with 6 ounces of coconut water. Add more if needed. Blend ingredients together until smooth texture is achieved.

Black currants are one of the super fruits the McAvoys grow on Blue Fruit Farm. Black currants have a tart taste and are best in smoothies or pastries.