Fresh Fruit Popsicles

Blueberry U Pick

Here is a guest post from our customer Shannon!  She has some info on a pesticide-free local u-pick.

My mom and I loaded up the kiddos and headed out to a blueberry farm today. I’m not a fan of blueberries myself, but Matthew and Nicholas LOVE them! I knew they would have a fun time picking them off the bushes, and as a bonus, the farmer encouraged eating them straight from the bush. He uses no pesticides, which is awesome. It meant we didn’t have to wash a single berry before popping in in our mouths and eating them. And, yes, I ate a few. I have to say they were the best blueberries I’ve ever eaten. I don’t know if it was the act of picking it myself, the sun warmed berry, or that they were just that good. I guess it doesn’t matter too much.

Hard at work.

Nicholas showing me his bucket.Counting the berries he picked?Matthew showing me how many he had. Taken moments before he dumped them on the ground and started over.

After you pick your bucket of berries, you place them on this shaker tray thingie. (I have no idea what it’s called.) You then shake out your berries and pick through to get all the bad ones out. You can also pull off all the stems from your berries. And if you’re 3ft. tall, then you get on your tip toes and eat them by the handful. For reference, that tray is holding a gallon of blueberries. Our refrigerator is now full of blueberries. Anyone need a few?

Benny, the farmer, let me take the boys out for a ride on his four wheeler. It was so fun. Matthew and Nicholas laughed in delight the entire time we were moving. When we came back to the farm, they begged to go out again. Maybe next time!

Zachary came along on our adventure, too. I think he had a pretty good time, even if he wasn’t allowed to eat any berries off the bush. Maybe next year!

PS: This is the info on the blueberry farm…
BMB Farms – blueberries, restrooms
4277 Old Eagle Lake Road, Bartow, FL 33830. Phone: 863-698-0239.
Directions: Highway 98 S into Bartow. Take Old Bartow/Eagle Lake Road 2.5 miles to Farm (will be marked by signs.) Highway 17 to Spirit Lake Road. Spirit Lake Road 1/4 mile to Old Bartow/Eagle Lake Road. Old Bartow/Eagle Lake Road 1/4 mile to Farm (will be marked by signs.).Payment: Cash, only.