The word “superfood” has become a big part of our language.
People try to eat foods with a lot of nutrients in the hopes of preventing diseases like cancer.
Blueberries are one of the foods at the top of that list. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that they are being grown in more and more places.
Most of the fruits you buy at the grocery store come from just a few states, maybe even your own. But I’m noticing that blueberries from more and more different states are showing up at my local grocery store.
There is nothing else in the produce section that comes from so many different places. I decided to look at these states and discuss their crops and harvest dates.
This post will help you decide if you should buy them or pick them yourself.
I will also talk about wild blueberries at the end.
When Do Blueberries Appear in Each State?
On a national scale, you can expect the first blueberries of the year to come from Florida, followed by other southern states and California. Then there are a few from Texas, followed by a large crop from New Jersey.
The year is completed by Michigan, Maine, and other northern states. The average harvest times are listed in the table below (each year can be slightly different). Make sure you buy what’s in season in your state.
I want to tell you about some of the best parts of the blueberry seasons in a few different states.
Florida
Florida’s blueberry crop is the first in the country to make a big splash, which gives them a huge advantage. The season in Florida lasts between 6 and 8 weeks.
Georgia
Depending on how the Florida crop looks and how the Georgia crop does, the Florida-grown berries will be replaced around the beginning of May. Did you know that blueberries are the most valuable crop in Georgia? Even though they are called the Peach State, more money has been made from blueberries than from peaches.
North Carolina
A short time after the Georgia crop, you’ll start to see blueberries from North Carolina. In the 1930s, it was found that some parts of North Carolina have the acidic soil that blueberries need to grow well. This led to the start of commercial blueberry production. North Carolina is where blueberries come from.
Hop’n Blueberry Farm in Black Mountain, North Carolina, grows Mountain blueberries that are native to North Carolina. They are growing a type of plant called “Columbine,” which usually grows at altitudes of 4500 feet or higher.
Their elevation is only 2700 feet, but they are doing well. Even though these berries are smaller, they don’t lack in flavor, sweetness, or antioxidants. I was happy to hear that someone was trying to grow and keep the native varieties alive.
Mississippi & Louisiana
Both of these states have crops that come right after the crop from Georgia. Farms from both states work together to run the Miss-Lou Blueberry Growers Cooperative in Franklinton, LA. In 1984, it was set up. Here is a nice list of blueberry varieties that can be grown in Mississippi.
California
Most blueberries from California come to market in May and June. But some growers, like Family Tree Farms in Reedley, California, can get a crop even earlier. See how they grow their berries in the video below.
Texas
In June, blueberries grown in Texas start to show up on the market. The Texas Blueberry Festival has been going on for over 20 years in Nacogdoches, Texas. It takes place at the beginning of June.
New Jersey
Around the middle of June, most of the berries on the market come from New Jersey. When I see Jersey grown in the store, I know it won’t be long before my Michigan berries are there too.
Michigan
My home state is next. I can’t wait for July to come around every year so I can start picking blueberries. Michigan is the top state in the country for making high bush variety berries. Blueberries can be found all over the state, but the southwest corner of the Lower Peninsula is full of blueberry farms, so u-pickers have quite a few options.
Maine & Wild Blueberries
Maine is the top state in the US for making lowbush blueberries. At first, all blueberries were lowbush. Later, the higher bush varieties came along. Even though this helped the blueberry industry grow across the United States, it is said that the original low bush varieties or wild blueberries have a better taste.
Peace & Plenty Farm is a farm in Maine that grows wild blueberries. In the High Peaks area of western Maine, they grow wild blueberries that are all organic. They rely on pollinators that live in their area, and they only cut their fields every three years.
Wild blueberries from Maine are frozen and sent all over the country. One company that has been selling wild blueberries for almost four generations is G.M. Allen & Son Inc. Zingerman’s Bakehouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan, uses blueberries in their pies and blueberry buckle.
If you’ve never seen wild blueberries before, you can watch a video of their farm to see how they pick these berries. You’ll understand why high bush varieties appeared on the scene!
Blueberry Syrup Recipe
I love to make a syrup with blueberries when they are in season. Ideal for topping pancakes with.
I use the Ergo Spout to give out the syrup (play the 30-second video below)
You only need blueberries, water, corn starch, and sugar to make the syrup. I like to season it with cardamon powder and fresh lemon zest. If my blueberries are especially sweet, I add just a little bit of lemon.
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