do you know the difference between wild blueberries and cultivated?
Did you know that blueberries are one of the only foods naturally blue in colour?
Did you know that wild blueberries have been harvested by humans for more than 13,000 years?
Did you know that cultivated blueberries were developed in the 20th century?
Did you know that the silvery ‘bloom’ on blueberries is a protective coating and shouldn’t be washed off until you are ready to eat them?
Did you know that the United States is the world’s largest producer of cultivated blueberries?
Did you know that Canada is the world’s largest producer of wild blueberries?
Did you know that WILD blueberries are smaller in size than cultivated blueberries?
Did you know that wild blueberries have an intensity of flavour that cultivated blueberries simply don’t have?
Did you know that wild blueberries vary in colour from different shades of red, purple and blue to almost black, and that they also vary in sweetness?
Did you know that wild blueberries are more flavourful and nutrient dense than their cultivated and well mannered cousins?
Did you know that wild blueberries are considered a Superfood? and that they have double the antioxidants that cultivated blueberries have?
Why does any of this matter?
Because wild blueberries have a higher rate of genetic diversity than their cultivated 2nd cousins twice removed.
Not surprisingly, they’re called HIGH bush.
and why does this matter?
Because that is what makes wild blueberries better for you!
Why?
Because they have a higher antioxidant content (double that of cultivated blueberries).
Why?
Because their smaller size gives them a higher skin-to-pulp ratio, containing more fiber, iron and a higher concentration of bioactive compounds including anthocyanins (remember that word).
Unlike cultivated blueberries which are the result of generations of selective breeding and farming practices designed to make them easier to harvest, as well as bigger and juicier, wild blueberries grow 100% on their own (wild), not planted, or tampered with in any way. This means they have NO genetic engineering, they are exactly what nature originally created.
What does this mean for you?
It means BLUEBERRIES are very good for you, but WILD BLUEBERRIES are even better!
commonly referred to as Low bush blueberries.
Great right? Well-l-l, when was the last time you saw wild blueberries in the grocery store?
Problem #1: you cannot PLANT wild blueberries.
That’s why they’re call wild. They grow where they want to, and only where they want to. They have very specific soil requirements that cannot be duplicated. Wild blueberries (lowbush) primarily grow in the acidic soils of Eastern North America, especially in Atlantic Canada (Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island), and in north Atlantic USA (Maine), thriving in cool climates on sandy, well-drained land, often in areas previously burned or cleared.
Wild blueberries grow naturally in fields and rocky hills called barrens. No one ‘plants’ them; they’ve grown naturally for thousands of years by spreading via underground runners. As such they are a pretty ‘low-maintenance crop’ for the most part. Field owners are hands-off throughout most of the growing season, although they prune fields with rotary mowers on alternate years, working with the natural two year crop cycle. Bees and other natural pollinators are critical to pollinate the bushes.
Key Growing Regions and Conditions:
Who knew? If you’re a native to Atlantic Canada you probably recognize the site, but neither Dan nor I had seen anything like it. And so began my deep dive into learning about wild blueberries.
Wild blueberries are native to Canada so you may find them growing in all sorts of wild areas that meet the climate and soil requirements. But those are generally small patches.
I grew up in northern Alberta and well remember going out to pick blueberries on summer days with my mom and a few other moms. We’d spread out and find a place to sit. My mom (and her other mom friends) were good blueberry pickers because they were motivated by love – making blueberry pie and other delectable treats that could only come to our families one way. Their children however, were not very good blueberry pickers. I was there for the fun of running around with my friends and eating whatever blueberries I picked. I was not beyond eating from my mom’s bucket if she let me – she DIDN’T. I can’t claim to have contributed much to the cause, but I benefit from the good memories. Since growing up and leaving home however, I moved to the city and have never picked a wild blueberry again.
Other than the small patches that are picked privately dotting the country, it is the eastern Canadian provinces of Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, where WILD BLUEBERRIES grow naturally – thousands of acres are set aside for them – protected.
In the United States, Maine is the single largest producer of wild blueberries.
Ideal Conditions are:
Cold climates with plenty of fresh water.
Acidic, sandy, and well-drained soil.
Habitat naturally occurs on open, treeless land, pine barrens, or areas recently cleared by fire, which stimulates growth.
Problem #2: it is very difficult to find wild blueberries in our world of shrinking wildlands.
Wildland areas suitable to growing them are getting less continually.
Naturalized fields are often managed through controlled burns or mowing to promote new growth and spread. Wild blueberry bogs are protected.
Problem #3: even if you knew where some wild blueberries grew, most people will never be able to access them. Lucky you. I hope you thank the Lord continually for your privilege.
Problem #4: because wild blueberries grow low to the ground, they must be harvested by hand – or with a hand rake specifically designed for this purpose.
This is labour intensive, making harvesting difficult and expensive.
While cultivated blueberry plants have been engineered to grow tall (called highbush), and are planted in rows, making harvesting easier, wild blueberry plants spread low and wide randomly through runners.
So how can we partake of WILD BLUEBERRIES in a sustainable and affordable way?
Wise Harvest Freeze Dried Foods 1only buys wild blueberries from sustainable farms that are dedicated to preserving their wild habitat, and YES they’re still harvested by hand or with a hand rake specifically designed for this purpose.
Wild blueberries are flash frozen within 24 hours of harvest, then transferred to a facility where remaining moisture is removed without thawing – in the second stage of the two step freeze-drying process.
Wise Harvest.
This means that wild blueberries are available to all, in non perishable freeze dried form – which preserves over 90% of the original natural nutrition, and is packaged to have a shelf life of up to 8 years.
Freeze drying wild blueberries makes them completely snackable – any time, any where. An easy go-to breakfast or midday snack – resealable so you can come back to it later.
* Spoiler alert: Though it might be a year or two out, Wise Harvest is moving toward packaging in BPA free cans which will extend the shelf life to 25 years. Remember you heard that here first.
I’d love to hear your thoughts about Wild Blueberries, and your experiences. Were you lucky enough to have picked them in the wild when you were growing up? Or maybe you still do? Have you tried the freeze dried?
Warmly,
Cindy Suelzle
- find Wild Blueberries on the Wise Harvest website – here is my affiliate link: https://shop.wiseharvestfreezedriedfoods.com/cindy
Yes, I loved them so much, I became an affiliate. ↩︎