Consumers can expect a strong North Carolina blueberry crop this season, according to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Blueberry harvest began in mid-May and is expected to last through August.
“Most of the growers we’ve heard from expect to have a solid crop this year,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “It won’t be a record year, but folks should be able to find plenty of fresh, locally grown berries well into summer.”
The majority of N.C. blueberries are sold directly to consumers at local farmers markets, roadside stands and you-pick farms.
Blueberry Days At Farmers Markets
To celebrate the season, the department will host Blueberry Days at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh and the Robert G. Shaw Piedmont Triad Farmers Market in Colfax. The Raleigh event will be held Thursday, June 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will feature free samples of N.C. blueberries and a blueberry dessert prepared by the State Farmers Market Restaurant. The Colfax event will be held Friday, June 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will feature free N.C. blueberries and blueberry ice cream.
North Carolina is the seventh-largest producer of blueberries in the nation, yielding 48.8 million pounds in 2014. Bladen County is the top producing county with more than 3,000 acres of blueberries.
