Wild Blueberries for ME

WildBlueBerries

for

ME

2 Wild Blueberries for ME

This Book written especially for the

“Read ME Agriculture”Volunteer Reading Project

As a special gift to participatingPre-Kindergarten to Fourth grade Classrooms

FromMaine Agriculture in the Classroom

www.MaineAgintheClassroom.organd the

Wild Blueberry Growers& Processors of Maine

THANK YOU TO EVERY MAINE DRIVERTHAT PROUDLY DISPLAYS THIS PLATE!

Special thank you toThe Wild Blueberry Growers who contributed to this book project,

Teachers and Educators who piloted this book, andMaine Agriculture in the Classroom Committee Members

Photos and Graphics supplied by Wild Blueberry Growers andBusinesses across the State.

Editor – Willie Sawyer Grenier –MAITC Executive Director

Photo Editor – Elaine Stedman

Wild Blueberries for you! 3

Wild Blueberries for MEMade possible by the USDA Agriculture in the Classroom Excellence Grant

Funding from The Wild Blueberry Public Education Committee

AndOur Maine Agriculture Specialty License Plate

MAINE

NOVASCOTIA

NEWBRUNSWICK


Wild Blueberry Growing Areas

Maine has 60,000 acres ofwild blueberries growing naturally.

In Maine, the first state in the United Statesof America to see the sun each morning,

wild blueberries grow. This is their story throughhistory and in today’s world as an important

piece of our culture.

5Wild Blueberries for you!


Glaciers a mile thick covered Maine during theIce Age thousands of years ago. When they melted

they left behind areas of poor, rocky soil and the first wild blueberries began to grow.

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Native Americans picked wild blueberries long beforethe settlers arrived from Europe for eating fresh or

dried, as a flavoring for meats and soups, or formaking medicines, dyes and teas.

Wild Blueberries for you!


When settlers arrived in the “New World” theyhad never seen blueberries. Samuel de Champlain,

who discovered Mount Desert Island andexplored the Maine coast, talks about this

new sweet, little fruit in his diary.

9Wild Blueberries for you!

During the Civil War, the first wild blueberrieswere canned to send to the Union soldiers. Atharvest time whole families might camp out inthe “wild blueberry barrens” to pick berries by

hand into boxes and baskets.


In the 1800’s the first hand rakes were

developed. Some looked like a large comb attached to a dustpan.After a swipe through

the wild blueberry bushes, berries weretipped into baskets.

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Baskets filled with wild blueberries were carried to a winnower, a machine that blew out leaves and twigs.

Winnowed berries were transported in wooden boxes

by horse-drawn wagons.Wild Blueberries for you!

Wild Blueberries for ME

Pruning Year – Spring Pruning Year – Summer

Harvest Year – Spring Harvest Year – Summer12

It takes wild blueberrygrowers two years to produce a crop

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After harvest the wild blueberry plants arepruned to the ground by burning or mowing.

Mowing machineWild Blueberries for you!

Tractor pulled oil burner


Fall

WinterSeasons of theWild Blueberry

Harvest Year

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Spring - Blossoms

Summer - BerriesWild Blueberries for you!


Rocks left by the glacier are removed and fields are smoothed to prepare them for machine harvesting. If there is not enough rain in the summer, some growers irrigate their fields.

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Wild blueberries spread by growing underground stems called rhizomes. One plant can be the size of a book, a desk, a room, or a football field. One field can have hundreds of different plants with slightly

different colored leaves, blossoms and berries.



The growers go to special classes to learn how to manage wild blueberries in a way

that takes good care of the earth. They use nets to look for insects that hurt the plants.

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Billions of bees pollinate the Maine wild blueberry crop each spring. 75,000 honey bee hives are transported to the fields to help the

bumblebees and other native pollinators.



Harvest starts in late July and lasts about six weeks. Many growers use large machine harvesters.

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Other growers use small machine harvesters.Some fields are still raked by hand.



After harvest, the berries are trucked to a freezing facility in colorful boxes like

these. Some wild blueberries are sold fresh at local markets and farm stands.

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Most wild blueberries are flash frozen afterharvest, later they may be dried or canned.



Wild Blueberries are eaten in Maineand shipped all over the world! Maineproduces more wild blueberries than

anywhere else on earth!

Wild blueberries from Maine can be found in many products and in the frozen fruit section

of your grocery store all year long.

Have you tried any of these delicious foods?

Wild Blueberries for you! 25


Wild blueberries taste great and are goodfor you! They contain Vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants, and other natural plant

nutrients to help your body fight disease.

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Now you know how wild

blueberriesfrom Maine get to you and how good they are

for you!

Use the recipeson the next page

to share themwith your

friends andfamily.


Wild BlueberrySmoothie

Ingredients

6 oz. Wild Blueberries, fresh or frozen6 oz. vanilla, blueberry or plain yogurt

1 tablespoon honey(if plain yogurt is used)½ cup ice (3 ice cubes)

Preparation: Place ingredients in blender, cover and blend well at high speed. Serve immediately. Serves 2

Ingredients

5 cups Wild Blueberries¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon grated lemon peel

½ cup light brown sugar1 cup (2 medium) diced peeled apples

2 teaspoons cinnamon1 teaspoon nutmeg½ cup white flour½ cup rolled oats

½ cup chopped pecans (optional)3 tablespoons butter or soft margarine

1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)Preparation: Preheat oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, combine the Wild Blueberries, sugar, lemon rind and apples. Mix well and place in a well-buttered 8×8×2 inch pan. In a medium bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, pecans, oats and salt. Rub the butter in with your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs. Spread evenly over the Wild Blueberry filling. Bake 45 minutes or until the crust is brown. Serves 6.

WildBlueberry

Crisp

Wild BlueBerry

TreaTs for you!

Wild Blueberries for ME

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