Did you know?

- Blueberries were rated the #1 antioxidant by the USDA in 2000

- Early American colonists would make grey paint from boiling blueberries in milk

- Blueberries have both antiviral and antibacterial properties

- Blueberries help fight infections and protect against heart disease

- Blueberries are low in calories, are sodium free and provide a great amount of fiber

- During WWII pilots in the Royal British Air Force claimed that their vision at night was improved after eating blueberries. Scientists in the 1960s sought to prove or disprove this theory, and discovered that eating blueberries improves microcirculation, which in turn allows better blood flow through capillaries in the eyes and elsewhere. Looks like those pilots were onto something!

- Over the years blueberry extract has been used to treat cough, rheumatism, gout, diarrhea, to relieve typhoid fever symptoms, as a diuretic, as a mouthwash to soothe ulcers in the mouth, and to prevent scurvy. Who knew such a little berry could have so many powerful effects?!

- The blueberry muffin is the official muffin of Minnesota

- A half cup of blueberries only has 42 calories!

Information gathered from www.asktheblueberryman.com, www.foodreference.com, and personal knowledge acquired over the years

Tips for Blueberry pickers

- Washing your blueberries is not necessary before freezing them. Because no pesticides are used on our berries, there is nothing you need to wash off. If you do rinse your berries before freezing them, make sure to let them DRY COMPLETELY before putting them in the freezer, as to avoid them being freezer burned when you take them out.

- To freeze your berries, get a few 1 gallon freezer bags and spread the berries evenly throughout the bag. Avoid letting the berries all fall to the bottom of the bag, by keeping the bag flat. This way you won’t end up with mushy berries!

- Blueberries don’t take long to defrost, so if you want to use them in recipes just take them out shortly before you plan to cook with them (20-45 min depending on how many berries you have).

- Many people enjoy berries straight out of the freezer, as they are not completely frozen, but just a bit more firm than normal, and definitely a bit colder! Very refreshing on a hot summer day!

- When picking blueberries look for bigger berries that are bluish-gray. A berry that still has red or reddish purple on it is not fully ripened. It is ok to pick berries with minimal amounts of red, as they will continue to ripen for a day or two once picked.

- Blueberries will keep best if refrigerated as soon as possible after being picked. They last up to 2 weeks in the fridge.