The warm spring and plentiful rain has one silver lining (or, should we say "blue lining"):  Blueberry season has come early for the Northland!

Normally, this would be prime time for strawberries;  But, the shifted weather we had early on in the growing season has seen the red berries already harvested and picked over.  That means that the blueberry crop is ready for road-side pickers.

Never picked blueberries before?  Well, an easy way to start is at farms that advertise that they have them available for picking (hint:  they're usually the same farms that also invite strawberry fans to come and pick produce).  But, native Northlanders know that the best blueberries grow in the wild - and everyone seems to have their own favorite (read that - "secret") spot.  In general, blueberries like wet, marshy areas in ditches - usually along gravel roads.

One word of advice:  If you ARE picking in the wild, make sure you ask before hand.  Those blueberries growing in the ditch alongside the road are growing on SOMEONE'S private property - and they would be well within their rights to prosecute you for trespassing.

Good picking!

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