Gerard Krewer is a man on a mission! And that is to offer up the finest and best-tasting organic blueberries this side of paradise. Several days ago, I grabbed my sisters for a road trip. The Harriett’s Bluff Farm is less than an hour away, and I had heard that they had juicy, ripe blueberries just ready and waiting to be picked. What could be better than fresh picked blueberries? Not much. And these blueberries delivered – they were big and plump and begging to be picked.
We arrived at the farm in the late afternoon around 5:45pm. It was a great time to go, because the sun wasn’t as strong. I was amazed at the entire operation! There are several different varieties of blueberries available for you to pick (and don’t forget to pop a few in your mouth during picking…it’s encouraged!). Farm owner, Gerard Krewer, took us on a great tour, pointing out the different kinds of blueberries as we went row by row. There are approximately 4 acres of blueberry plants. That is a lot of blueberries! (They also have blackberries…I’m planning my return trip for some of those…). We got to take a turn on the conveyer belt that processes the blueberries for taking to markets. Remember that episode of ‘I Love Lucy’ where Lucy was working in the chocolate factory? Yeah – this was just like that, only with blueberries – and yes, we popped some into our mouths.
The blueberries are also USDA organic certified by the Georgia Crop Improvement Association. If you don’t want to pick your own, chances are there will be some pre-picked berries available for purchase, but you’d need to call first to make sure.
And a blueberry picking trip is great for kids! There are no thorns on blueberry bushes and the kids would have a ball. Turn this into a teachable experience by first learning about blueberries (and how plants/fruit grow) at home, then going and picking, and then when you come back home, have a cooking lesson for blueberry muffins or cobbler. A cooking lesson can double as a math lesson, too, so for those of you who homeschool, this is a wonderful field trip opportunity. You can integrate math and physical science and if you have your child write a report or journal entry, you’re integrating with English and spelling, too!
If you can’t get to the farm (they’re open from 8am to 7pm daily), you can find Harriett’s Bluff Organic blueberries at the Neptune Beach Farmer’s Market, the Fernandina Farmer’s Market and the Savannah, Georgia Farmer’s Market. But it’s way more fun to pick them yourself!
I would encourage you to grab at least a gallon while you’re there. Did you know how easy blueberries are to freeze? You don’t even wash them. Just stick them in your freezer and each berry freezes individually. So when you’re ready for more, just grab a few handfuls for thawing. Not only that, they’re a great snack when frozen.
And there’s a June special! Get 15% off June 2 – 6!
When I was looking at their website, my favorite FAQ was this:
What if the farm is open, but no one is there?
Feel free to help yourself. You will find baskets at the big red building, and there will be ribbons marking the rows where the ripe berries are. There will also be directions about how to weigh the berries. Just leave cash, check, or IOU with your name and phone number in the lock box. You may call me, Gerard, at (229) 392-1388 if you have questions.
Feel free to help yourself. You will find baskets at the big red building, and there will be ribbons marking the rows where the ripe berries are. There will also be directions about how to weigh the berries. Just leave cash, check, or IOU with your name and phone number in the lock box. You may call me, Gerard, at (229) 392-1388 if you have questions.
Now you don’t come across that kind of attitude much, anymore, right?
Visit their Facebook page here or their website here.
Click here for a great slideshow! Harrietts Bluff Organic Blueberries Farm.
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