Picking Our Wild Blueberries (Finally)
Posted on 08. Aug, 2010 by Laura-Jane - Whimfield in Outdoors, Prince Edward Island
Picking wild blueberries is a new delight that we appreciated on our property for the first time this year. When we first moved here we didn’t know what wild blueberry plants looked liked. Of course, they’re easy to spot when they’re dripping with blueberries, but most of the time they just look like green ground cover–pretty indistinguishable from the rest of the plant-life to the untrained eye.
Two years ago, as we became more accustomed to our property and the PEI landscape, we recognized some blueberry plants. However, come blueberry-picking-time there was almost nary a blueberry to be picked.
Cameron did some reading on blueberry plants, and he realized that–if we trimmed the plants down as low as possible–two years later we should have an abundance of blueberries.
So two years ago Cameron forced encouraged us to spend the day together trimming a small area (the size of a small swimming pool) right down to the ground. Cameron used an industrial-strength weedwacker and chopped down blueberry plants, small thin poplar trees, and tons of tall weeds. Blueberries like to have as much sunlight as possible, and a commercial blueberry field looks like this in Autumn; you’ll notice that there are no other plants competing for light.
I don’t exactly remember what I did on that day two years ago when we trimmed the blueberry plants down to almost nothing and cleared room for them, but I do remember being pooped and covered in bug bites at the end of the day. I also remember thinking, “What are we doing? Cam is a slave-driver. We’ll never get blueberries, and, even if we do, two years is a danged long time to wait to nibble on some fresh-picked berries!”
Well, that was two years ago…
Yesterday, we had the pleasure of carrying buckets and bug spray and trooping back to our blueberry “field.” I don’t need to tell you that Cam was all grins when we crouched down and saw little blue berries dotting the landscape.
Two years is a long time to wait for blueberries. And at the end of our day picking blueberries we were still pooped and covered in bug bites, but this time we had the pleasure of ambling home in the early evening shoving handfuls of hard-grown and hard-picked berries into our anticipatory mouths.
In North America low-bush blueberries (wild blueberries) are tiny little blueberries, and they are usually used as ingredients rather than served as fresh blueberries. The fresh blueberries that are generally sold in grocery stores are called high-bush blueberries, and they are not generally grown in Atlantic Canada. Both types are delicious, but there is no tastier berry than one you’ve helped grow, waited for and picked yourself.
Kim
Aug 8th, 2010
Oh wow, Laura-Jane! I wonder if we have any on our property …
Cameron’s a smart man! All that work paid off – good for you guys!
Michelle
Aug 8th, 2010
Our little blueberry patch that has blessed us in years past is not doing well this year. Oh poo!
But, YOU, Laura-Jane can make up some incredible blueberry freezer jam (using the reduced sugar pectin, of course) and enjoy a bit of summer in those cold months to come. I still have some in my freezer. So good on yoghurt!
Naomi
Aug 9th, 2010
Yum! We have a blueberry bush, but it is not doing ANYTHING at all! You look so pretty. Love sister.
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Andy Collier
Aug 9th, 2010
We have three highbush blueberry plants in our yard that are covered in berries right now and a big patch of wild blueberries on our in-laws land. I love fresh berries of the plants!
Johanna
Aug 9th, 2010
We have highbush blueberries in our garden. This year was our first year to enjoy the fruits. We also have raspberry and rhubarb. I love rhubarb crisp made fresh from the garden. Your berries look so yummy.
Hugs
melanie
Aug 9th, 2010
Picking blueberries is one of my favourite things to do when I go to Nova Scotia in the summer. How lovely that you have them on your land!
You look positively radiant by the way. : )
N&M
Aug 9th, 2010
Yummmmmm!!!! Next time I’m coming in blueberry season :)
Phil
Aug 10th, 2010
(Laura-Jane, after a tragically long absence from your site, I’m happy to see your diving into the exciting world of blueberries. I grew up on a blueberry farm (and love hiking in the North Cascade Mtns. of WA, which are ripe w/ wild blueberries.
The only part more fun than the harvesting & the eating, is the late-fall, early-winter pruning, where you cut back approximately 1/4 of the branches. This helps make healthier branches the next year; hence better blueberries!
Vicki
Aug 10th, 2010
Looks yummy! We couldn’t live without blueberries, but unfortunately we have to buy ours. Or maybe I don’t? bring on the smoothies!!
Freda
Aug 13th, 2010
YUM!!!!!
Natalie
Oct 15th, 2010
Wild blueberries are the best!!! lucky you!