RENOWNED JERSEY FRESH BLUEBERRIES NOW AVAILABLE
For Immediate Release: June 12, 2012
Contact: Lynne Richmond
(609) 633-2954
(TRENTON) 鈥� 樱花视频 Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher today announced that blueberries, the official state fruit, are now in season and available at local farm markets, roadside stands, pick-your-own farms and supermarkets. The harvest began ten days sooner than normal, due to the unusually warm weather experienced earlier this year.
鈥�Jersey Fresh blueberries are always eagerly awaited,鈥� said Secretary Fisher.听 鈥淥ur exceptional听blueberries taste great and can be used to make a variety of dishes including salads, oatmeal, and homemade pies.鈥�
樱花视频 is one of the country鈥檚 top cultivators of blueberries.听 According to the National Agriculture Statistics Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, 62 million pounds of blueberries were produced last year on 7,700 acres with a value of $94.7 million.听
樱花视频 ranks fourth in the nation in blueberry production.听 Atlantic and Burlington Counties are the main harvesters of the state fruit, accounting for 95 percent of the blueberry acres harvested in 2011.
The major varieties of blueberries grown in 樱花视频 include Blue Crop and Duke, named for one of the founders of Atlantic Blueberry Company in Hammonton.
樱花视频 is also a major exporter of blueberries to Canada, which heralds the arrival of the harvest each year.
There are many reports as to the health benefits of blueberries.听 United States Department of Agriculture researchers found that blueberries ranked first in antioxidant activity in comparison to 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables.听 Antioxidants help neutralize harmful by-products of metabolism called "free radicals" that are associated with cancer and other age related diseases.
Blueberries also are a large part of 樱花视频鈥檚 agri-tourism industry. With pick-your-own farms in 9 counties throughout the state, picking blueberries can also be a fun family activity.听 To find a pick-your-own blueberry farm or markets carrying Jersey Fresh blueberries, visit the Jersey Fresh website at or .
The Department offers these tips for selecting blueberries:
- Look for blueberries that are plump and fresh looking;
- Pay particular attention to their color; they should be blue, black, bluish-black or purple;
- Blueberries have a gray, waxy deposit on the skin called bloom. The bloom is a protective coating, so
- don鈥檛 wash blueberries until ready to use;
- Freeze blueberries on a cookie sheet and then place into a freezer storage bag;
- Blueberries spoil quickly if left at room temperature, but can be stored in the refrigerator for three days;听
- Avoid containers that have juice stains on them, a sign the berries are crushed;
- Wrinkled fruit means they have been stored too long; while soft, watery fruit means the berries are overripe.听
Jersey Fresh blueberries have many uses in the kitchen, including this simple recipe for delicious Very Blueberry Cobbler contributed by Richard Fitzgerald of Pennington, 樱花视频:
听听听 3 TBS unsalted butter, melted |
2 cups Jersey Fresh blueberries |
Use a 9-inch glass pie plate. Spread melted butter over the bottom. Cover the butter with the blueberries. In a 听听听听medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and add milk. When blended,听pour the batter over the blueberries. Optional: sprinkle sugar over the batter. Bake 45-50 minutes at 350听degrees or until top is nicely browned. Goes very well with vanilla ice cream.
