Ku-plink, ku-plank, ku-plunk!

Did ya'll get that reference? If not, you absolutely must read this book:

Robert McCloskey is a literary genius and we've loved ALL the books we've read by him. We own this one and also One Morning in Maine. They're just happy books with an old-fashioned feel.

Anyway, "ku-plink, ku-plank, ku-plunk" are the sounds the blueberries make when little Sal drops them in her pail. Both kids love to say this and, though we didn't take a tin pail when Sophie and I went picking on Saturday morning, we still pretended to make that sound. :)

Originally, my plan was to go to Johnston Fruit Farms in Swanton to U-Pick blueberries, but when I called again to check on the crop, they said "the birds had eaten nearly everything in the U-Pick field" and U-Picking would not be available this year. Boo. They must have other blueberry fields though because they said ready-picked blueberries were available for purchase by the pound. Their prices are very good, so if you're just interested in buying blueberries, you should check them out. We may go there in August for peaches.

Eshleman's (where we picked cherries) also had ready-picked blueberries (as well as sweet corn, apricots, plums, etc) for sale but do not offer U-Pick for the berries. I like the people at Eshleman's so much and was contemplating driving all the way out there again to stock up on a lot of their fruits, but I really wanted the experience of U-Picking if I could find it.

I did a quick search in southeast Michigan, which is often closer than many of the other farms we've visited, and came up with Erie Orchards & Cider Mill in Erie, Michigan. They're about a 30 minute drive from us and have been in business for 35 years. When I first checked out their website, they appeared to be a very commercial farm, catering lots of family activities and events, especially in the fall. I can appreciate that and it's definitely fun in the fall, but I really didn't want to try to U-Pick amidst the madness of crowded bouncy toys and clowns and such. Know what I mean? It makes the farm seem like they care more about being commercialized than about the quality of their fruit. (I doubt we'll go to MacQueen's this year for that very reason - I've heard bad things about them from several people... not farmers. Especially with the amount of pesticides they spray.) This is NOT the case with Erie Orchards, though! The festivities are mostly just in September and October and they do a very nice job of growing quality fruit and accommodating their customers.

There's a small parking area in the front of the farm and a very cute store/market where you check in to pick up your picking containers. U-Pick blueberry prices are $2.50/# and peaches and plums are $1.50/#. (Compared to $1.40/# for U-Pick blueberries at Johnston's and $3/# for ready-picked blueberries at Eshleman's.) Their picking hours are daily from 9a-7p and Sundays from 11a-6p. After departing the store, they direct you to drive around back and follow the path and marked signs out to the blueberry picking area.
I'd carried Sophie into the store and then let her sit in the front seat for the ride out to the picking area. She thought that was so cool. P.S. - Will & daddy stayed home to "play dinosaurs" and "work on car stuff".
This is what a blueberry bush looks like. They had a whole area sort of fenced in and surrounded by netting, but the lady suggested I try picking just outside the netting because the gentleman who checked out before me found abundant picking there.

If you've contemplated taking kids to any sort of U-Pick farm for fun this summer, blueberries are the way to go! They're low to the ground, easy to pick, don't have prickers, not nearly as delicate as strawberries and raspberries and they're so much less messy! The smaller, bite-size pieces don't leave juice dripping everywhere.

We brought the hand wipes as usual and Sophie insisted on carrying them around, but they weren't really even needed. She could very easily identify "only the blue ones" that were ripe and ready to eat. This next picture is actually false advertising (though cute with the blueberry in mid-fall) because she probably only contributed three blueberries to our take-home picking. :)

Also take note of Michigan's sandy soil in the above picture! Plan on kicking off shoes before getting back in the car if you pick in Michigan.

I have to say: sun-warmed blueberries, fresh off the bush are just beyond-words better than store bought! They have been my favorite fruit to eat while picking, though in the heat of this day I tried to fill up my quarts as fast as possible. So only a small handful went in my mouth. That is encouraged, by the way... to eat while you pick. :) The best ones are at the center of the bush so you really need a good reach to get in and grab the jackpot. Also, squat down and look up into the bush because many can be hidden by leaves. They're easy to pull off, even several at a time.

Our team work went like this: Sophie ate everything she picked and got our moneys worth by filling her belly... while I picked four delicious quarts to take home. She sang to me while we picked, played hide-and-seek in the bushes and frequently wiped her hands and arms with the wipes she was toting because they were "dirty". They weren't. :)

Sophie stuck with me for the first two quarts and then sat in the air-conditioned car watching Letter Factory for the second two quarts, which went much faster. It was just so hot. I had sweat dripping into my eyes (eww) and was starting to feel light-headed by the time I finished. The air in the car and a handful of berries instantly zapped me back to life once I called it quits. Thank goodness for water bottles! Don't forget those!

My picking totaled a little over 6# and cost me a little over $13. My goal is to use these up this week and go back for more to freeze and store.

Before leaving, I checked out the market. They sell all sorts of jams and jellies, fresh picked produce and deliciously homemade donuts and apple fritters. I took home three of the fritters for dessert. :) Craig was pleased.

They also have their own cider mill and big glass window for guests to watch the process in the fall. Can't wait to come back for that. And on their website, they boast a special "cider slush" to enjoy with a fresh fritter when you visit in the fall. Yum!!!

This place is not far from my work, so I think another solo picking evening is in the works this week for me. Happy girl. :)