Community Corner

It's Blueberry Season! Where You Can Pick Your Own Berries

Plus an upcoming blueberry festival on Chincoteague Island.

by Mary Ann Barton

Did you know that July is prime time for blueberry-picking? With all the rain falling in the region lately, it's likely blueberries are ripe for the picking.

You can make a weekend trip out of it or grab the kids and go on a weekday. Be sure to call ahead, to find out if berries are available, ask if there's an admission charge and find out if you need to bring your own "berry bucket." Here are several farms and festivals where you can pick your own (or at least pick up your own):

Leesburg, Va.Eagletree Farm, 15126 Harrison Hill Lane, offers pick-your-own blueberries in a field near the farm house. Call 703-777-5954 for hours and more information. The farm is usually open from dawn to sundown and is located close to Leesburg Outlet shopping. 

Bluemont, Va.: Great Country Farms, 8780 Foggy Bottom Road, offers blueberry picking on its 600-acre farm in western Loudoun County until July 14. Blueberries are $4 per pound. The farm is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fun alert: The farm has hayrides that start at 9:15 a.m. and run until the last one at 5 p.m. Call (540) 554-2073 for more information.

Markham, Va.: Hartland Orchard 3064 Hartland Lane, offers pick-your-own Bluecrop blueberries, at $3 per pint from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Be sure to call ahead: (540) 364-2316. Click here for directions.

Make a day of it at these farther-away spots:

Chincoteague, Va.: You can head to the 26th Annual Chincoteague Island Blueberry Festival July 19-21, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day, at Chincoteague Island. Fresh blueberries, homemade blueberry ice cream from the Island Creamery, plus blueberry jams, jellies, salad dressings and toppings. For more information about the island, including its famous wild horses, visit the Chincoteague Island Web site.

Oak Grove, Va.: Westmoreland Berry Farm1235 Berry Farm Lane, Oak Grove, Virginia 22443 About two hours from the Beltway (an hour east of Fredericksburg), this farm is located in Virginia's Northern Neck on the banks of the Rappahannock River. Make a day of it and visit the cafe, store, petting zoo and more. It's always a good idea to call ahead of time: (804) 224-9171 

What to do with all those blueberries you brought home? You can add blueberries to lots of dishes — ice cream, frozen yogurt, smoothies, weekend pancakes, muffins, oatmeal, fruit salads. Plus there are all sorts of intricate blueberry recipes you can try, courtesy of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

As one of the few naturally occurring blue foods, blueberries are great for adding a nutritional kick to your summer menus, according to the blueberry council. With just 80 calories per cup and virtually no fat, blueberries create healthier alternatives to many of the rich, sugary desserts you find at outdoor picnics, the council points out. If you're still celebrating over the Fourth of July weekend, try these patriotic Blueberry Sparklers or Wave the Flag Cupcakes for treats pretty to look at, and fun to make with kids.

If you have leftover blueberries, you can freeze them. Here are some tricks to keep them from freezing together in a frozen clump, courtesy of Frugal Living.

And if blueberry juice stains your clothes? Check out this video from Stain Removal 101.


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