We just returned from the Blueberry Capital of the World, and an amazing organic blueberry farm. The berries are just 60 cents a pint or only $3.00 for a huge can (about 10 pints!) The farm is a very small family owned operation. In lieu of a cash register, the farmer places a small box on a table listing the prices of the berries. You pick up your cans, pick, and then pay on an honor system.The farmer greeted us as we arrived, and let us know that any berries my children ate were free. The children LOVED this, and giggled as the farmer searched around for small cans that would be easier for them to carry. He only found one can, which Charlie (age 3) took and filled. Gianna (age 5) settled for the large can, and she was determined to fill the entire thing by the time we left. To my amazement, she succeeded. The blueberries definitely built up quickly when there is more than one person in our family picking! Augustine (17 months) spent his morning eating a lot of dirty fallen berries. He was so dirty at the end of our outing that the farmer's wife offered their family hose to clean him off. The battery on my camera died, or else I'd post a picture.
We have returned to this farm to do all our blueberry picking for 4 straight years because of the Farmer's hospitality, AND because the berries are cheap and organic. I told him he should charge more for the berries, especially for those of us picking with young children. He smiled in a way that seemed to say he loved the children and didn't care about the money.
The blueberries we picked today are delicious, cheap, and healthy. We are consuming them guilt free, and we might have to make another trip next week!
Upon returning home, we spent our afternoon reading Blueberries for Sal, and then making blueberry cobbler AND whole wheat blueberry muffins. The muffins are a great and healthy breakfast option. The cobbler is amazing for dessert with whipped or iced cream. I thought I'd post both recipes below. Enjoy!
Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins--
Combine Wet Ingredients--
1 1/2 cups of milk or rice milk
1 cup butter or oil
1 cup honey or sugar
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons vanilla
Combine Dry Ingredients--
4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup flax seeds)
2 Tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
Then add 3 cups blueberries
Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients, then add blueberries. Preheat oven to 375, bake for 20-25 minutes.
Blueberry Cobbler--
Grease bottom of 8 X 8 inch pan
Lightly toss--
2 cups blueberries
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar ( I use the smaller amount)
1 Tablespoon butter
Spread this mixture on bottom of pan
Then mix--
1/4 cup butter softened
1/4- 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
Combine dry ingredients and add to wet mix
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Drop by spoonfuls onto top of cobbler. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes. Enjoy!
7 comments:
Red, this is dreamy. Email me the address of the blueberry farm when you get a minute, will you? That experience is worth an interstate drive. Thanks for the GREAT recipes. I can't wait to try them all.
Yeah! We did the same thing this weekend, too! We went with my MIL, who grew up on a farm and used to have to pick berries for punishment (b/c of the thorns, mosquitoes). I thought is was so funny that now we leave suburbia and drive to farms and pay for the simple pleasure of being under the sun and picking our own fruit.
Our farm also doesn't charge for what the kids eat, which is too bad for them. My boys can eat some berries!!
If you go again next week, can we please come?
JM, the farm is called Lindsay's, and it is in Hammonton, NJ. You can find info on the farm at:
http://www.pickyourown.org/NJse.htm
The farm does not have a website, and they also do not have a sign out front with the farm name, so it is easy to drive past it. They do, however, have a set of signs that says, "Round and Blue" and "Good for you" and then "Blueberries, 60 cents per pint."
MA--we should talk about a date for going again.
Oh, I just love this! I wish we could have been with you... I can imagine little Gus filthy and happy. To add Blueberries for Sal (a favorite at our house too!) to the outing makes for an almost divine afternoon. I think we need to start hunting down a local blueberry farm!
Have I mentioned my in-law's neighbors own a bee farm and we're going to get to go and watch them harvest honey? We are over-the-moon excited around here!
Thanks for the recipes. They look great! I just got tons of blueberries and was looking for some great ways to use them. I like the whole wheat muffins!
Our nearby pick-your-own is a strawberry farm and I can totally relate to the hilarity of a 17-month-old boy realizing there is food growing down at his level that he can grab and then eat with impunity. Seth was eating the stems and dirt and all when we picked yesterday and I couldn't stop laughing. So happy for you guys, I am going to try the whole wheat muffins with strawberries, I will post a follow up.
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