I like produce. I like to grow it and I like to eat it. Plus, I like to create recipes with it. I’m also kind of a nerd and like to get to know my produce. I like learning new or fun tidbits of info about the produce I’m growing/eating/baking. So if you’re a weirdo like me then this series is for you!
Fun Facts About Blueberries
- Blueberry muffins are the most popular muffins in America? Yes, it’s true! They are actually the state muffin of Minnesota {did you know that states had “state muffins?” I sure didn’t’!}.
2. In Maine, we like our berries wild!
“The wild blueberry is one of three commercially grown crops that is native to North America. The wild blueberry was first grown on a large scale by the Wabanaki native people who burn-pruned and harvested fields of wild blueberry. By the 1600’s English settlers had arrived to the coast of Maine (Abbot 1892), and blueberry fields were picked as a public privilege.” ~ The University of Maine
3. Blueberries as medicine?
The most popular medical use for blueberries is to help improve vision and to protect against eye degeneration. Way back in WWI, pilots in the British Royal Airforce would consume blueberry preserves before their night missions because they believed it improved their night vision. Turns out they were right!
4. You can use blueberries as a natural food dye!
In fact, early American colonists used to boil blueberries in milk to make grey paint. You can even boil blueberries in water for twenty minutes and then strain it and use the liquid as a natural Easter egg coloring.
5. The month of July is National Blueberry Month in America, and August is National Blueberry Month in Canada. Between June and September there are almost 20 blueberry festivals throughout the US and Canada. You can never have too many festivals is what I always say!
6. The US is the world’s largest producer of blueberries!
Yes, it’s true! We harvest almost 600 million pounds of blueberries each year! Wowza. That’s a lot of berries!
7. If all the blueberries grown in North America in one year were spread out in a single layer, they would cover a four-lane highway that stretched from New York to Chicago. That would be fun to see!
8. The North American Blueberry industry ships more than 100 metric tons of fresh blueberries each year to Iceland, and more than 500 metric tons to Japan. Sheesh. That’s a lot of blueberries!
9. My all time favorite way to eat blueberries? Is in PIE! Shocking I know. If you’ve never made a blueberry pie from scratch before and are looking for the best blueberry pie recipe on the planet earth… Try my tried and true blueberry pie recipe. I’ve been using this recipe for over 20 years and it’s simply the best one out there.
Had you heard any of those fun facts before? Do you have any of your own to add? Is there a particular produce item you want to know more about? I take requests!
Grow on,
~ Mavis
photo credit RAF Museum
NeeNee says
My Grandfather loved to garden when he was well into his Eighties he asked my mother to bring him to get some plants he told the man at the nursery he wanted to buy a blueberry bush the man looked at my elderly Grandfather and said do you realize it will take 5 to 6 years to get any real amount of berries
I grandfather said ….. Ya So!!!
He was given permission from his assisted living facility to use a small plot of land to plant a garden
He lived to be 97 and got to enjoy his blueberries along with the biggest tomatoes you have ever seen he shared with the other residents and also grew beautiful gladiolus I would help him dig up the bulbs every fall and he stored them in shoe boxes until spring
Mavis Butterfield says
I love that he was able to have a garden there!