| Blueberries Our Varieties |
| All rights reserved. |
| Blueberry Benefits High in Antioxidants With just 80 delicious calories per cup and virtually no fat, blueberries offer us many important nutrition and health benefits. |
Blueberry Acres currently has 5 varieties of highbush blueberries. These are Patriot, Duke, Elliot, Northland, and Bluecrop. These are all varieties recommended for this zone, needing at least 800 hrs. of "chill hours" which is basically dormant time. Each variety has been chosen for its own uniqueness. Blueberry Acres will be adding a new variety this year, Reka. Bluecrop (1952 New Jersey) Midseason with a chilling requirement > 800 hrs. Bush is upright but flops when carrying a heavy crop. High yielding with good winter hardiness. Berries are medium sized and firm, with a small scar. Most widely planted variety, although its popularity is diminishing. Duke (1986 New Jersey/USDA) Very early with a chilling requirement > 800 hrs. Bush is upright, open with good winter hardiness. Machine harvests well. Vigor declines overtime without expert culture. Fruit is medium sized, firm, medium colored with a small scar and weak flavor. Resistant to mummy berry. It is the most widely planted early cultivar in production regions with cold winters. Elliott (1973 Michigan/USDA) Late with a chilling requirement > 800 hrs. Bush is upright, bushy with good winter hardiness. Fruit is medium sized, firm, medium blue with a tart flavor. Machine harvests well. Resistant to mummyberry, phomopsis canker and anthracnose. It has been very widely planted because of its late season, but interest is diminishing. Northland (1968 Michigan) Early midseason with a chilling requirement > 800 hrs. Half-high bush with excellent cold hardiness. Very productive. Berries are medium sized, medium blue, soft and fair flavored with a medium scar. Locally important in areas with extreme winters. Patriot is an early variety released by the University of Maine, where growing seasons are short and winter hardiness is a must. This variety is vigorous and grows upright to a height of 4 to 6 feet. Patriot adapts to many different soil types and has performed better in heavier soil than some other varieties. The fruit is large and has very good flavor. Reka ripens the season as Duke, but the berries have better flavor. Fruit is an attractive dark-blue color and the plant produces large crops. Its winter hardiness is rated equivalent to Bluecrop. |
Blueberry Picking
Concerns
Ripe blueberries are
easily removed from
the bush. Fruit should
be removed with the
thumb and forefinger,
keeping the hand
cupped under the
berry to avoid
dropping it. The
whitish, dusty
appearance (bloom)
of the blueberry is
highly desirable, and
consumers regard it
as a sign of quality.
Overhandling the
berries will remove
the bloom.
Concerns
Ripe blueberries are
easily removed from
the bush. Fruit should
be removed with the
thumb and forefinger,
keeping the hand
cupped under the
berry to avoid
dropping it. The
whitish, dusty
appearance (bloom)
of the blueberry is
highly desirable, and
consumers regard it
as a sign of quality.
Overhandling the
berries will remove
the bloom.
| BLUEBERRY ACRES email us at: susanbrn2009@blueberryacres.org 424 Dry Bridge Rd. AuSable Forks, NY 12912 518-647-2250 Property of Blueberry Acres all Rights Reserved 2009 |
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Blueberries contain substances that have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals which are unstable molecules linked to the development of a number of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease and other age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's. According to the USDA database of the antioxidant activity of selected foods, blueberries rank among the highest on a per serving basis. |
Manganese plays an important role in the development of bones and in the metabolism of protein, carbohydrate and fat. |
