Tart and tasty, tiny blueberries are big business for Maine
By Crystal Sands
When people find out I live in Maine, they always ask me about a few things — our beaches, our forests, lobster, and, of course, blueberries. Maine is the world’s largest producer of wild blueberries, and from children’s books to “u-pick” farms, blueberries are a way of life for many here in the Pine Tree State.
According to the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, wild blueberry production in Maine has increased exponentially in recent decades, as the demand for one of nature’s super fruits, loaded with antioxidants, has been high. Maine has increased its annual yield of wild blueberries from 20 million pounds in the 1980s to a yield today that reaches somewhere between 70 million and 100 million pounds. Wild blueberries in Maine are big business.
Cultivated blueberries are important to Maine’s economy and people, but it’s Maine’s wild blueberries that make Maine so unique for blueberry production. Wild blueberries grow well here, and because wild blueberries have more antioxidants than cultivated blueberries, the demand for wild blueberries can be especially high.
Brittany Young and her husband Seth run The Roost at Wolf Pine Farm in Dedham. Their farm, which has been in Seth’s family for several generations, is a certified organic wild blueberry farm. Last year, Young said, they were very fortunate their wild blueberries were ripe early due to the early heat, which meant their berries were ripe before the drought really impacted blueberry production in Maine. According to Young, they sold out quickly because of a high demand for organic wild blueberries.
Climate change has certainly presented some challenges for blueberry farmers. Last year, Young said, they were processing their blueberries so early that the company helping them process and get the berries out to the public wasn’t fully staffed for blueberry season yet. Higher temperatures in the summer certainly have an impact on when blueberries are ripe for picking here in Maine. A lack of rain last summer as blueberries were coming ripe also significantly impacted Maine’s blueberry crops. Farmers without irrigation to their blueberry fields saw a decrease in production, and, in the state of Maine, blueberry production was down overall, with some blueberry farmers reporting losses of between 50 and 60 percent.
But there is hope for blueberries in our state, even with the challenges climate change presents. UMaine has received and continues to request federal funding to assist blueberry farmers as they adjust to hotter and drier summers. Some farmers have begun to install irrigation systems, and UMaine continues to work with farmers to help them increase soil moisture through a variety of strategies, as well as improve plant resiliency.
These adaptations are important, as blueberries are certainly a key agricultural resource in our state. Brittany Young said the demand for organic wild blueberries from their farm has grown so much that they are looking at new ways to get their blueberries in the hands of the public.
Their farm consists of acres of wild blueberry patches that have been in the family since the 1800s. For 2023, Young said they will be harvesting their biggest patch yet with a plan to harvest 8 to 10 acres of wild blueberries. Some of the blueberries are hand raked and then sent to Merrill Blueberry Farm in Hancock for processing and freezing. Some of the blueberries are handpicked by Young’s family. Those that are handpicked are available for sale by the pint each season.
Young said she and her husband work long hours during blueberry season, but it’s a season they love. Young says her husband is “happiest when he’s working the land.” She said their older children also chip in and help with the hand picking. The couple have four children, ages 12, 10, 7, and 4. And while the older children are good helpers on the farm, the younger children are “mostly good at eating” their organic wild blueberries.
“The family part of our process is really important to us,” Young said.
And this is one of the best things about blueberries in Maine: Many of our blueberries come from small farms, just like The Roost at Wolf Pine. When we buy blueberries from these farms, we support families.
Blueberry season in Maine usually begins in late July and runs throughout August, though the season may vary according to summer temperatures and rain. During blueberry season, you can find fresh, local blueberries in most grocery stores, but you can also buy directly from farmers at farm stands and even pick blueberries yourself, making blueberry season a special time for your family as well.
If you are looking for good places to pick blueberries, there are several online resources that provide lists of u-pick blueberry farms here in Maine. Wildblueberries.com provides a list of farms, as well as recipes for blueberries and helpful information about why wild blueberries are so important here in Maine. It’s also a great idea to locate blueberry farms near you and follow their social media pages. This will allow you to keep an eye on the season and know when fresh blueberries are available for sale at stands or for picking.
There is so much to experience in Maine in terms of blueberry season. In addition to picking your own, you can take part in the Maine Wild Blueberry Festival in Machias, which takes place Aug. 18-20 (flip to our Experience Maine event listing for more info), or visit Wild Blueberry Land in Columbia Falls. The Wild Blueberry Festival features vendors and artisans from all over the state and includes a blueberry pie eating contest. Wild Blueberry Land in Columbia Falls features blueberry products and education, and it even includes a Wild Blueberry Heritage Center museum.
Maine’s relationship with wild blueberries goes back 10,000 years, and we have much to celebrate as this delicious and healthy food continues to feed our families and make us smile every summer. Even in the face of climate-change challenges, our blueberry farmers are adapting and working hard to bring blueberries from their families to our families. As Brittany Young points out, “there are challenges, but there are good signs that our efforts to adapt will pay off.”
Bed & Breakfast Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping
By Crystal Sands
Muffins
½ cup of flour
¾ cup of sugar
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp. vanilla
1 egg
Almost ¾ cup of milk
1½ cup of wild blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Topping
½ cup light brown sugar
⅓ cup flour
1½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup soft or melted butter
Directions
In a large bowl, mix together all your dry ingredients for the muffins. Add the wet ingredients, and be careful with the milk. It really does need to be a little less than ¾ cup of milk. After you mix the wet and dry ingredients, fold in your wild blueberries, fresh or frozen, with a spatula.
For the topping, mix the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. After you have mixed those well, add ¼ cup of the soft or melted butter. The topping should be crumbling just a bit, so if it’s too moist, you can add a little more brown sugar and flour.
Put your batter into a 12-spot muffin pan and top with your crumb topping. Bake for 15 to 16 minutes at 375 degrees, though you should check often the first time you bake these, as oven times and temperature vary.
