Picking blueberries in South Jersey
Sunday, July 12, 2009
One of my favorite annual events is going to Haines Berry Farm in Pemberton, NJ, to pick blueberries, even though it means getting up early on a Sunday. (They’re open all day—it’s just my crew who like to get there in the a.m.) Haines doesn’t spray but instead uses integrates pest management techniques—good for you, good for the land. They’re open everyday for picking during the month of July, and they have blueberry honey also. (Not flavored—from hives in the area.) It’s a wonderful thing to do with friends and family.
They take you to your row to pick on this tractor-wagon.
Berries in a zillion tidy rows.
Nice, healthy plants.
After I wash them, they dry on dishtowels so that the berries for the freezer don’t clump together. This is a third fo what I picked—11 lbs. I know, that’s a lot of blueberries. But they’re just $1.50/pound. Yes, per pound.
After a freshly picked blueberry, all packaged pints will be ruined for you. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. (Haines’s website is no longer, but the phone is 609 894 8630.)
I just wanted to mention that IPM doesn’t actually mean they don’t spray. IPM is sure better than conventional but not as chemical free as organic. With IPM they use various techniques but will spray with chemicals if they have to. This distinction might not matter to some people but my son is extremely sensitive to pesticides so I’ve had to become more familiar with these details than I’d like!
Anyway, it sounds like a fun day and what an awesome amount of blueberries!
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We went blueberry picking a couple of weeks ago and all I can say is that the “pre-picked pints” will never be the same. As with your experience, it was well organized and efficient, and perfect for families. I got about 12 lbs, froze most of them, and am planning to go back this weekend for more!