Each Spring, the once barren bushes planted across countless acres of fertile fields come alive with colors of blue! And this means only one thing…
It’s Blueberry Season!
We’d been saying all Winter that we wanted to go blueberry picking this year, but even though we are Florida natives, the hot humid weather just isn’t our thing. This would mean in order to time it right, waiting long enough for the bushes to be full of large ripe berries, but not long enough that we run out of a chance to grab a cool snap meant we would have to rely on a heavy dose of luck!
Luck came in with Mother’s Day Weekend!
Here in Florida, come May we’re hard pressed to see a day with temps any lower than the mid to upper 80s, so when I saw the weather forecast predicting a cooler than normal Saturday, I knew it was meant to be.
And if we couldn’t get any luckier, this would fall on Mother’s Day weekend, providing the ideal scenario for something special to do with Mom.
For most, the vibrant blue berries are easily seen against the backdrop of the green leaves and brown sticks that make up the bushes they are home to, but for me, I have to rely on my fingers to do the seeing when blueberry picking!
Gingerly feeling with my fingertips I scan the branches for any sign of blueberries
Beginning with the branch closest to me I feel, but don’t feel anything but leaves and twigs. Moving to the next branch and then to the next, my fingers scan the bush just like someone would look it over with their eyes.
Falling into some type of rhythmic movement with my arms and hands outstretched and all 10 fingers splayed, I feel my way deeper and deeper into the center of the lush blueberry bush.
And like a pirate finding buried treasure this blind blueberry picker just found the treasure chest! My first bunch of beautiful little round blueberries are mine for the taking!
Plucking the berries from their branch I am surprised just how easy they come off. It’s as if I barely have to even touch them. I can hear some of the little berries fall through the bush and hit the ground as I try to grab a handful. Perhaps it’s a case of me being a bit too eager with trying to grab too many at one time. This is not what you want to do. Sometimes you need to slow down, take your time, and work smarter, not harder.
A Trick When Blueberry Picking
It had been a while, but this wasn’t my first rodeo with a blueberry bush! I remembered the trick I picked up the first-time I ever went blueberry picking. Some tasks just require two hands.
Before heading out into the field of blueberry bushes you are given a bucket as your “tool of the trade”. Don’t underestimate the bucket! It’s more than just a way to carry the blueberries you pick. When used strategically, it can also be your secret weapon for maximum blueberry picking results.
Carefully moving a few branches out of the way to get myself into position I had one hand on the bunch of berries and the other hand holding my bucket underneath. At that point it’s as easy as running your hand over the bunch of berries and watching, or in my case listening, as they drop right into your awaiting bucket! Oh, the sweet satisfaction!
Where do you go blueberry picking?
Miles away from the white sandy beaches and crowds of tourists lies a side of Florida few ever see. It’s a side of Florida that moves at a slower pace. A side of Florida that understands that at the heart of our Sunshine State lies a landscape made beautiful by acres of farmland, two-lane roads, and hidden freshwater springs with water so clear it’s like diving into an aquarium.
It’s the center of the state, the heartland of Florida
This part of Florida reminds you where your food comes from. It’s the acres upon acres of farm fields you drive-by. It’s the numerous family farms that have been passed down from one generation to another. It’s farmers markets and U-Pick farms. It’s real Florida!
We are blessed with an abundant of choices when it comes to U-Pick Farms in Central Florida. Variety is nice, but it can also make the decision tough when determining the best farm to visit. My recommendation for the best is solely based on my own personal experience and is obviously subjective to each individual person. But with that being said, I find this farm hard to beat!
Artisan Acres
Located in Eustis, FL is a family-owned blueberry farm called Artisan Acres. This particular blueberry farm was recommended to me by my friend Cait, who I have dubbed the “U-Pick Queen”. Well, I must say Cait’s recommendation certainly didn’t disappoint!
What makes Artisan Acres so great?
Sometimes it’s about more than just filling your bucket full of blueberries. Going blueberry picking is an experience, and Artisan Acres understands that.
They have figured out how to make the experience of being out in the field, doing manual labor, harvesting your own food a truly enjoyable experience. The pathways are kept well-maintained so that you are not walking through tall grasses or having to watch your every step because of unlevel ground. And although slightly creepy sounding, they have the sound of Jurassic Park like birds playing from speakers to help ward off any potential pests.
They’ve got animals too!
Nothing gets both little kids and grown adults alike excited quite like goats and donkeys! Once you’ve gotten your fill of all the blueberries you care to pick be sure to stop by their petting area.
For just $1 get an ice cream cone filled with feed for the goats and donkeys. Standing at the fence with my palm faced up I had a rather snatchy donkey eat the feed right out of my hand! Once all the feed was gone, I even fed the ice cream cone to one of the goats! I will admit, this was the highlight for us all.
When not picking blueberries or feeding the animals I encourage you to just enjoy the setting. Most of us live inside bustling cities with constant noise of traffic and even the annoying neighbors. At Artisan Acres the air just feels cleaner, the sun just seems to shine a little brighter, and the sound of the world is lost in the breeze.
Be sure you go with the right people!
I realized something while at Artisan Acres that I had never really thought about before. You need to be sure that you go with the right kind of people to insure not only an enjoyable experience, but one that has you enjoying fresh blueberries for weeks to come.
There are two different types of people who go blueberry picking
The one type are the ones who go into the field with a goal in mind, to fill their bucket and go back for more. These are the kind of people who look at each bush as a battlefield. They stand and stare, observing every inch of that bush with merely a sudden glance. Once their split-second game plan is decided upon, they attack that poor bush leaving in their wake nothing but leaves and twigs.
This is also the kind of person who fills their bucket to the brim in the same amount of time it takes you to hit that quarter-full mark.
Then there’s the other group. This group looks at blueberry picking as an enjoyable, relaxing way to spend a morning. They’re the kind of picker who believes that with every berry that drops in the bucket another one shall drop in their mouth.
This is also the kind who you can hear cracking up laughing from across the farm. The time spent in a beautiful setting, doing something out of the ordinary with their family and friends is way more than just about picking blueberries to them. Plus, they secretly know that thankfully they’ve got at least one of that first type with them who can more than make up for their less than stellar berry picking ability.
I actually take great pride in admitting that I am indeed a part of that second type! What type of Blueberry Picker are you?
Where to find this magical blueberry farm
Whether visiting Central Florida on vacation or a resident of the Sunshine State, a daytrip to Artisan Acres can truly make for a fun and memorable experience for the whole family.
Be sure to follow Artisan Acres both on Facebook and Instagram as well as visit their website to keep up to date when they are open and ready for picking!
