Community Voices for Health

By: Kris Berry

It’s August and that means that my favorite fruit is ready to be picked.  Sure, I’ve never met a fruit I don’t like but my absolute favorite is blueberries.  There’s just something about those little guys that I love so much.  Plus they are so darn good for you, it’s hard not to want to eat them by the handful!

There are a few local farms where you can pick your own blueberries.  Last year, my kids and I stumbled upon Jane and Paul’s farm in Norfolk.  We loved it so much we went back several times.  In addition to the berries, they had a small area where the kids could feed goats and chickens (using a cool “shoot” that my boys loved).  They also have a small farm stand where you can get fresh produce, pies, and eggs.  We also love Ward’s Berry Farm in Sharon.  They have animals, a small playground area, and a farm stand where they make sandwiches and smoothies.

For a more detailed list of pick-your-own farms check out PickYourOwn.org.  The farms are listed by county and also by fruit, if blueberries aren’t really your thing (or aren’t in season).

Probably because my mom is a teacher I like to read books to my children that relate to our activities or trips.  If you want to enrich your blueberry experience, pick up a copy of Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey from your local library to read before you head out to the farm.  I can remember loving it as a little girl and I still love it today!

And since I love baking (and turning healthy fruit into sinful treats), here’s my favorite recipe for Blueberry Crisp.

Blueberry Crisp:

Ingredients:

• 6 cups blueberries, rinsed and lightly dried
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Pinch salt

Topping Mixture:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 stick room temperature unsalted butter, cubed
• Whipped Cream, for topping
• Ice cream, for topping

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Toss blueberries, cornstarch, sugar and a pinch of salt together in a bowl.
• Combine flour, oats, brown and white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans in a bowl. Add butter and pinch into chunks. Mix until it looks crumbly.
• Add the blueberries into a 2-quart baking dish. Top evenly with the crumb mixture. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream and whipped cream.

Enjoy!