Summer and blueberries go hand-in-hand—and right now, the picking couldn’t be better at Weaver’s Orchard. This year’s blueberry crop ripened a bit early, which is great news for lovers of the little blue powerhouse. What are you waiting for? Load up the kids for the scenic drive to Morgantown and pick your own from 7 a.m.–7 p.m. on weekdays or from 7 a.m.–5 p.m. on Saturday. You can also visit the market from 8 a.m.–7 p.m. on weekdays or from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. on Saturday.
But before you go, here’s what you need to know about the nutritional benefits of blueberries, how to pick the ripest ones and ways to store them once you get them home, as well as Weaver’s top five recipes to make the most out of your blueberry bonanza:
Little Package, Big Nutritional Value
Eat up! Blueberries are free of saturated fat and sodium and are a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C. The superfood is also loaded with phytonutrients and offers powerful antioxidant protection; in fact, blueberries are among the highest antioxidant value fruits. They also possess a good amount of minerals, including potassium, manganese, copper, iron and zinc.
Blueberry Picking 101
Take your time when you pick. Blueberries grow in clusters, and not all of the berries in a cluster will ripen at the same time. One cluster may have ripe fruit, unripe fruit and green fruit. In addition, blueberries begin to turn color before they are fully ripe. That means that a berry may look like it’s ripe, but if you turn it over and the stem end is still red or green, it is definitely not ready to pick. A fully ripe blueberry is deep blue, even near the stem. Unripe berries will not ripen further after harvest, so avoid them to ensure that you bring home the sweetest ones possible.
Blueberries will be ripe and ready at Weaver’s Orchard through mid-August, so feel free to come back often while the picking is good! Pick-your-own (PYO) pricing is as follows: $2.50 pound for 10+ pounds, $2.99 per pound for 4–9 pounds and $3.50 per pound for less than 4 pounds. Purchase a PYO club card membership for just $5 and get a 10% discount on every PYO purchase!
Save Some for Later
When you get your juicy gems home, keep them refrigerated—covered loosely with plastic wrap—for 3–6 days. Wash berries just before using. To freeze, rinse blueberries gently and place on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer berries to a plastic freezer bag.
5 No-Fail Blueberry Recipes
With decades of experience growing fruit of all types, Weaver’s Orchard is the authority on how to make the most of your fresh blueberries. Whirl them into smoothies, mix them into muffins and more with these five recipes from the Weaver’s website:
Blueberry Spinach Superfood Smoothie
Aunt Kathy’s Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry Chutney
Berry Madness Smoothie
Berry Parfaits
Interested in a few more ways to make the most of your precious blue bundles? Check out our article from last week, which features recipes for blueberry salsa, blueberry ice cubes, chilled blueberry soup, blueberry pan sauce and a greens, feta, nuts and blueberry salad.
Find Weaver’s Orchard at 40 Fruit Ln., Morgantown; phone: (610) 856-7300.
- Photography: Weaver's Orchard
