Back in 1984, if you didn’t grow them or visit a PYO, you didn’t see blueberries. The world has changed and not for the better as detailed in the bottom half of this 39th edition of the Childs Newsletter about mass production and fancy marketing. First, about WHAT WE DO THAT MAKES US DINOSAURS COMPARED TO MODERN DAY TRACTOR JOCKEY FARMERS!
At Childs Blueberries we use INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) techniques taught by Cornell to minimize the need to spray pesticides. As long as the pheromone traps are clear of pests, we don’t have to spray but if we catch one pest, like preventative medicine, we nip the problem in the bud before it multiplies using the mildest of sprays (derived from chrysanthemum flower) with low residual which washes right off in the rain. The key is to constantly monitor and micromanage the crop and only a small, TRUE family farm can do this.
We use hardwood sawdust to naturally keep acidity at the optimal levels. We send leaf samples to a laboratory who analyzes them to tell us what fertilizers (Iron, Potassium, Nitrogen, Trace Minerals, etc.) we need to retain the perfect soil for a tasty blueberry. We also irrigate the bushes, keep the fields well weeded and prune extensively. Beside "micro-managing" the field maintenance and upkeep, the blueberries we grow are so sweet because our soil is unique. Our hill top at 2250 feet did not have the soil amalgamated by the glaciers and thus it retained the naturally acidic, unique components that are like heaven on earth to blueberry bushes. Some folks in lowlands have decided they want to grow blueberries and forced the issue by chemically adjusting their soil to try to create the unique soil components which Cooper Hill has naturally but nature is tough to replicate and often the taste of the lowland blueberry is lacking. This soil contributes to Childs Blueberries being “nutrient dense” with all those “miracle berry” wonder components at higher levels than pretty much any berry grown anywhere not to mention a taste that is out of this world!
FREEZING BLUEBERRIES: place the entire carton of blueberries in the freezer until frozen. Pop the side of the carton and pour into the Bisphenol free, double thick Childs Blueberries freezer bags. Rinse when you take out just before using. We offer quantity discounts during peak season when we can harvest the most berries fast so watch for the limited time specials.
INCREASING SHELF LIFE: place a paper towel on the bottom of a bowl, pour in a layer of fruit, add a paper towel and repeat layers until done. Now place loose fitting tin foil over the bowl and refrigerate. This method will increase shelf life significantly.
Childs Play No Bake Pie: This is quick, easy and delicious! Combine 1 c. Childs blueberries and 3/4 c. water in medium sauce pan; simmer 3-4 minutes. Combine 3/4-c. sugar and 3 t. corn starch in a small bowl. Add sugar mixture to blueberries in saucepan; cook over medium heat stirring constantly until syrup is clear and thickened. Stir in 1 T. orange juice...Beat 8 oz. cream cheese until fluffy then add 2 T. orange juice mixing until well blended. Spread cream cheese mixture on to the bottom of a 9" graham cracker shell; cover with 3 c. FRESH Childs blueberries. Top with cooked blueberry mixture. Chill thoroughly and then top with whipped cream. Place a few choice berries on top of the whipped cream for decoration.
Blueberry Cobbler: Mix 2 c. flour, 1/2 c sugar, 4 tsp. baking powder, 2 tsp. melted butter, ½ tsp. salt, 1 c milk, 1 tsp. vanilla, together on low speed until smooth. Place into a greased 13 x 9 pan. Scatter 1-pint fresh or unthawed blueberries over the batter. Sprinkle with ¾ c. sugar. Pour 1 ½ c. boiling hot water covering everything but do not stir or mix. Carefully place in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 30’ Bob Childs of Childs Blueberries favorite.
Here is the bad news about mass production which has evolved since 1984
USA CERTIFIED ORGANIC PRODUCE—99% of corporate mass production organic farms apply Spinosad sprays every 3-5 days by airplane or air blast sprayers and the food should not be eaten for three days after application and it does not wash off easily. They do this because pests did not just go away because they decided to become “organic” and people don’t want a worm in every berry. Washing highly recommended.
IMPORTED CERTIFIED ORGANIC PRODUCE--Certification is often meaningless due to low standards of certification inspection. Most South American labor, where the winter fruit comes from, is exploited and the $3.99 for a 4.4 oz container of winter blueberries translates to $12.49 a pint even though the corporations pay the labor low wages and sometimes exposes these people to unsafe sprays and working conditions.
CONVENTIONAL or CORPORATE FARMS use herbicides, fungicides and NEONICOTINOIDS insecticides in their mass production of food. These are the machine picked, loss leader box stores dump on the market at different times. The NEONICOTINOIDS enter through the leaf and enter the green berry and as it ripens, protects it from bugs. Harvest, if the rules are followed but are often not, is not allowed for 30 to 42 days after application and residual is high and systemic meaning all the washing in the world may not remove the chemical. No wonder life expectancy is dropping in many parts of the country! NEONICOTINOIDS kill bees and are banned in Europe.
Frozen “WILD” from Maine sold in box stores labels their berries as wild although they are conventionally farmed sourcing their berries from South America to supplement their supply obtained from Maine. The “wild” moniker makes people think they are organic but they are not. "ALL NATURAL" farm is often a misnomer for "neglected farm". That is a worm in every other berry situation. This is why so many of the box store frozen organic berries have an off flavor.
