Freezing
Blueberries can be easily frozen. Gently roll fresh, dry blueberries on a towel and remove any debris.  Do not wash. Place in freezer bags/containers and store in freezer. May rinse the berries before use. Blueberries will maintain their sweet flavor for use in baking or as a delicious snack in the winter months. 

Nutritional Value

"Blueberries are ranked No. 1 in antioxidant activity compared with 40 other commercially available fruits and vegetables. That means that a serving of blueberries has more of the antioxidant power you need to fight aging, cancer and heart disease." (from www.pickyourown.org)

The following are some quotes from the web site:  www.blueberry.org

• ”Antioxidants are thought to help protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals and the chronic diseases associated with the aging process. “
   

• “Based on data from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (Boston, MA), blueberries are among the fruits with the highest antioxidant activity. ... researchers have shown that a serving of fresh blueberries provides more antioxidant activity than many other fresh fruits and vegetables. “
   

• “ ... blueberries ... contain a number of substances which are thought to have health benefits. These substances include, but are not limited to fructose, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Antioxidants thus far, seem to have the most conclusive role in the prevention/ delaying of such diseases as cancer, heart disease and the aging process ..."
   

• "In a USDA Human Nutrition Research Center laboratory, neuroscientists discovered that feeding blueberries to laboratory rats slowed age-related loss in their mental capacity, a finding that has important implications for humans.  "

Varieties of Blueberries

There are many different varieties of blueberry bushes. We have planted Chippewa, Northblue and Polaris, which were developed by the University of Minnesota for the unique climate in Minnesota. These bushes will be about four feet tall, and about three to four feet wide when they reach their mature stage when they are seven to ten years old. Here are some details on our three varieties:

• Northblue was released in 1983 and is described as: "large fruit, firm, excellent for cooking"
   
• 'Chippewa', a very fruitful U of M blueberry, is named after the Ojibway Indians and the Chippewa National Forest, in the heart of northern Minnesota's blueberry country. Chippewa was developed in 1996 and is described by the University as "medium-large berries, sweet flavor, most disease resistant"
   
• Polaris was also released in 1996, and is described as: "intense aromatic flavor, hardy, early maturing, half-high habit"

For u-pick locations by county in Minnesota:  http://www.pickyourown.org/MN.htm

A list of u-pick farms in Minnesota: http://www.mda.state.mn.us/food/minnesotagrown/berries/berries-quicklist.htm

U-pick farms in Western Wisconsin and Washington and Dakota counties in Minnesota:                   http://www.wifarmfresh.org/search.cfm