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It's berry picking time at Brackenridge Berry Farm
Friday, July 18, 2008 9:21 PM EDT
Even if blueberries aren't one of your favorite fruits now, the sweet taste of freshly picked blueberries is sure to change your mind. And besides, blueberries are also good for you since they reduce eye strain and fatigue, promote urinary tract health, reduce build-up of "bad" cholesterol and may reverse short-term memory loss and the effects of aging.
Add to that the experience of picking your own berries in a beautiful country setting and the adventure is complete.
Brackenridge Berry Farm began in 2003, when Jody and Dewey Stanley decided to plant their first acre of blueberry bushes on the farmland Jody grew up on as a child, after the couple "retired" and Jody inherited the farm after her mother died.
Today, they laugh about being in retirement, since each day involves working on the farm, expanding the number of acres planted, picking ripe blueberries, and protecting their investment from wildlife and mother nature.
Cultivating fresh blueberry bushes isn't as easy as it seems from the outside looking in.
Jody and Dewey, as well as their children and farmhand Donald Coleman, know how long it takes to see a return on their investment, because it takes five years for blueberry bushes to bear fruit.
Once the bush yields fruit, it is only available for a short season because the berries ripen over a three-week period. This means a blueberry farm must have a variety of bushes to bear fruit at different times of the summer months, to keep a continuous amount of fresh blueberries available for picking.
And picking blueberries is the focus of Brackenridge Berry Farm.
Initially, the Stanleys planted one acre with 640 bushes, hoping for a full yield of fruit by 2006. In 2004, they planted an additional acre and in 2005 another acre and a half was added.
But due to the enthusiastic support of red breasted robins and deer, the few berries which did bloom in 2006 were eaten up as soon as they appeared.
"It was the robins that really enjoyed them," Jody said, adding the joke now is the farm is home to blue breasted robins, because of the amount of blueberries consumed by the birds. To protect their investment, the areas housing blueberry bushes are covered with polyester netting.
And to keep the deer out, who didn't eat the berries but the foliage of the bushes, an electric fence has been installed around the first acre planted.
In 2007, Mother Nature took a toll on the crop, delivering a freeze in April followed by a summer of drought. The Stanleys lost half of their bushes last year due to the drought.
Currently, four varieties of blueberry bushes have been planted and are in production: blue crop, Elliott, jersey and patriot. Jody and Dewey are going to add a new bush, appropriately named Stanley to the berry farm.
Once mature, each bush will reach six to eight feet in height and will bear an average of 10 to 20 pounds of blueberries; it takes 12 years for blueberry bushes to reach maturity.
"We've made every mistake you could make in growing blueberries," Dewey said, but adds through the experience, they've learned what works, what doesn't and how to insure a good yield of berries.
The idea of a u-pick blueberry farm came about because Jody used to visit u-pick berry farms in Illinois when she and Dewey lived there. Jody said she would pick 70 to 100 pounds of fresh blueberries each summer. When the couple moved back to Kentucky in November, 2002, Jody said she was worried about where she would go to pick her fresh berries.
"I asked Dewey, 'Where am I going to get my blueberry fix in Kentucky?'" Jody said laughing.
It was around that same time the tobacco diversification programs were introduced to Kentucky tobacco farmers and the couple decided to investigate how they could turn their farmland from tobacco production to blueberry production.
Working with Bracken County Extension Agent David Appelman, the Stanleys did their homework about how to start a u-pick berry farm. They purchased bushes and have learned how to propagate the bushes for resale and planting, learned how to amend the soil to meet the acidic levels needed for blueberry production and have worked tirelessly since to see their dream of a berry farm come to reality. They have also received their Kentucky Proud certification.
With 2008 as their first year for the u-pick season, the first wave of ripe berries began June 21 and has already ended. Because they followed their plan and have four varieties which bloom at different times, the next wave of berry picking begins July 22 and will continue for two to three weeks.
"Our advice is to call for availability and times," Jody said, noting because of the short season for picking and the location of the farm, customers are encouraged to call ahead to make sure their trip is worthwhile.
The farm is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for berry picking. If you want, you can bring your own bucket or one is provided for you at the farm. A pound of fresh u-pick berries is $4 per pound. If you don't want to go out into the heat, Jody, Dewey or Donald will pick your berries for you, at a cost of $5.50 per pound.
Jody said one family visited the farm recently and picked 40 pounds of blueberries; she's also had customers from Russellville, Ohio, Lexington, Carlisle and Union. She's proud to tell visitors two women came all the way from Texas to pick blueberries at their farm before revealing they were tourists visiting Augusta while doing research on the Underground Railroad.
"They picked up our brochure and visited ... they picked two pounds," Jody said with a big smile.
If you're a novice on the uses of fresh blueberries, Jody is happy to give tips on how to freeze and store fresh berries for future use and will share recipe ideas. The Stanley's also help you along while you pick to make sure you're getting the ripest, sweetest berries available.
"I love blueberries," Jody said as she walked down her rows of blueberry bushes.
Brackenridge Berry Farm is located at 1090 Belmont Road, Brooksville; telephone 606-735-2490 or visit the farm on-line at www.brackenridgeberryfarm.com for information.
Contact Marla Toncray at marla.toncray@lee.net or 606-564-9091, ext. 275.
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