Can you pick wild blueberries in Maine?

Most of Maine’s wild-blueberry harvesting is done by large, commercial operations such as Wyman’s of Maine. But there are a few farms that’ll let you swing a rake and pick your own. The season generally runs from late July into August and early September.

What percentage of wild blueberries come from Maine?

Maine produces 10 percent of all blueberries in North America, including wild and cultivated production.

Can wild blueberries be cultivated?

Wild Blueberries (vaccinium angustifolium) are wild by nature, and can’t be planted or farmed in the ways that many industrial food crops are. Unlike ordinary blueberries, Wild Blueberries are spread primarily by rhizomes (underground runners), which give rise to new roots and stems.

Do wild Maine blueberries have pesticides?

While the wild blueberry season lasts only a couple of weeks in August and September, they freeze really well so you can enjoy their fresh flavor all year long. Are Maine wild blueberries sprayed? However, pesticides are still very much a part of wild blueberry production in Maine.

Why are Maine blueberries so good?

For generations, Maine families have nurtured these wild berries that boast an intense blueberry taste; ranging from tangy tartness to succulent sweetness. Wild blueberries are frozen fresh and loaded with 33% more brain-healthy anthocyanins than ordinary blueberries.

What’s the difference between wild blueberries and regular blueberries?

Wild blueberries are smaller in size than regular blueberries, more compact, and have less water content. This means that you get more wild blueberries per pound than regular blueberries. More flavor. Wild blueberries have a more intense, sweet, and tangy flavor compared to regular blueberries.

How much money does Maine get from blueberries?

The price growers received for processing berries in 2018 averaged $0.46 per pound, up $0.21 from 2017. Value of production of 2018 wild blueberries is $23.155 million, up 32 percent from the previous year.

Can wild blueberries be poisonous?

growing wild throughout the U.S. Just a handful of the bitter berries can contain deadly amounts of toxic alkaloids, among other compounds. If your “blueberries” don’t taste sweet, or don’t grow on a woody shrub, chances are good that you’re eating a dangerous nightshade instead.

Are Wyman’s wild blueberries really wild?

Wyman’s, the oldest wild blueberry business in Maine, is still a family-owned company and the second-largest wild blueberry grower in the nation with thousands of acres in production, two processing plants, and employing hundreds of workers in seasonal and year-round jobs in Maine.

Why are Maine blueberries better?

This variability is one reason Maine wild blueberries are far more delicious then their cultivated competitors. Blueberries like acidic soil, which is fortunate for us, because that’s what Maine has. They like it best when the soil is about as acidic as tomato juice. Wild blueberries grow where they want to grow.

Are wild blueberries Dirty Dozen?

The USDA did not exclude blueberries as it usually makes the dirty dozen list, since more than 50 pesticides have been detected as residue on them. Frozen blueberries have proved somewhat less contaminated.

Are frozen wild blueberries healthy?

“Wild blueberries are as good frozen as they are fresh,” Rideout says. According to a recent study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, none of the berries’ nutritional values or antioxidant goodness are lost by freezing, and they’ll keep well for up to two years.

What kind of blueberries are wild in Maine?

There’s NOTHING like a WILD Maine Blueberry! Unlike the cultivated high bush blueberry, Maine low bush wild blueberries burst with a sweet and tangy flavor—a wonderful delicacy freshly picked or pulled from the freezer for your favorite recipes. Whether fresh or frozen, wild Maine blueberries are a tasty treat with superior nutritional value.

Who are the owners of Alexander’s wild Maine blueberries?

We are a two-generation operation. Alexander’s Wild Maine Blueberries is owned and operated by Jimmy and Denise Alexander. Jim Sr. and Rosalie own and operate the U-Pick fields and The Old Blueberry Farm gift shop.

Is the Blue Hill Berry Co organic blueberries?

So, here’s your chance to help advance my cause: we are one of the only producers of frozen organic wild blueberries that can be shipped year round, from our farm to your door. You can try some of our blueberries in your own smoothies, whenever you like. Or with yogurt.

What can I do with Blue Hill blueberries?

You can try some of our blueberries in your own smoothies, whenever you like. Or with yogurt. Or make a batch of blueberry muffins, or a blueberry pancake breakfast for the family this weekend. The happiness and health possibilities are endless! Enjoy!