Today, I went blueberry picking at Nesbit Blueberry Plantation and am anxious to share my experience with you!
Nesbit Blueberry Plantation has reasonable, flat prices per gallon of blueberries. You can purchase pre-picked blueberries for $19 a gallon if you want fresh blueberries without the chore of picking them yourself. If you are up for the task, get ready to grab a bucket or two, hook them on your rope, tie it all around your waist and get to picking for $12 a gallon. My parents and I decided we would get 4 gallons or $48 worth! Trust me, farm fresh blueberries are worth every penny and you can eat as much as you want while you pick!
While you are picking, feel free to taste the warm blueberries! Nesbit Blueberry Plantation (NBP) does not use sprays or pesticides! Tasting is a great way to learn what size and variety of blueberry you like. “Stay away from the English Pea sized ones,” said one of the workers at NBP. I heeded her advice and picked the largest, sweetest ones I could find. Make sure you fill your gallon bucket to the rim with these sapphire gems!
There are several varieties of blueberries at Nesbit Blueberry Plantation: Climax, Premier, Austin, Tiff Blue, and another variety, a name I have forgotten. Mr. Chris Cooper, another worker at Nesbit Blueberry Plantation, told us that Climax and Premier are best for growing blueberries at home. He warned, however, that the blueberries ripen within weeks of each other and must be harvested quickly. The Austin variety is a little more slow growing than the Climax or Premier, but the berries are crisp in texture and sweet in flavor. “If anything tastes more like a blueberry, it’s the Austin!,” said Mr. Cooper. Which variety should you plant? That’s up to you, but hopefully this information will lead you in the right direction.
What do you do with your blueberries once you’ve picked them? Do NOT Wash them yet! You need to let them breathe! Simply spread them out on cookie sheets and set them out. This will help dry out the excess moisture which in turn, will give the blueberries a crisper mouthfeel. My mother would even put paper towels on the cookie sheets and then place the blueberries on top for more even drying. After they have “breathed” for a couple of hours, you can rinse them and freeze them, refrigerate them, make jam, etc. Personally, I made a fresh berry trifle.
Here’s the recipe…
Mixed Berry Trifle
Ingredients:
2 small boxes white chocolate instant pudding
2 pints fresh blueberries
2 pints fresh raspberries (or strawberries)
1 vanilla creme cake ( Prepare in advance! If you prefer to not bake, you can pick these up easily at your local grocery store)
1 small container Cool Whip or whipping cream
fresh mint leaves for garnish
Directions:
Make white chocolate instant pudding as directed and cool in the icebox* for at least an hour. Rinse blueberries and raspberries while you wait and place in a seperate container. Once the pudding has set, begin layering cake, pudding, and then fruit into at trifle dish. Repeat until full. (I did this twice, but it varies by the size of the dish.) Feel free to get creative on decorating the top! I used mint leaves to garnish mine, but you can use anything you like. In fact, I think I might put some white chocolate curls on top of mine next time….YUMMY!
For more info about Nesbit Blueberry Farm, please check out http://nesbitblueberry.com/index.html.
HERE’S A GLANCE AT OUR TIME AT NBP:
