Collection and preservation of blueberries. Blueberry picking in Ontario Better blueberry picking

Good afternoon, dear friends!

Blueberries ripen in July. I think that many people love this wild berry. And how can you not love them, because blueberries contain a lot of useful vitamins and minerals, and they’re also delicious. Complete benefits for health and beauty.

It is best to eat fresh blueberries, this way all the vitamins and minerals get into the body. But I would like to extend the period of use for a year. For the winter, blueberries can be dried, frozen, pureed with sugar, made compote and preparations in their own juice, and made jam. And how delicious the pies and dumplings made with blueberries are - you'll lick your fingers.

So as soon as it’s time to pick berries, you don’t need to be lazy, take buckets - and go to the forest, or, in extreme cases, to the market, for healthy berries.

In the forests of the central zone, blueberries are very common. She loves to grow in mixed or pine forests. It can grow not as a continuous carpet, but in islands. In good years, blueberry bushes are literally strewn with berries.

Blueberries belong to the lingonberry family. What we see on the surface are not individual bushes, but the shoots of one large plant that branches in the soil. These bushes are shoots-stolons that can grow even at a distance of several meters from each other! One plant can have twenty or more bushes of different ages from one to ten years.

In the first year, the branches only grow and accumulate food for the plant, and in the second or third year berries appear on the bushes. In the first years there are fewer of them, but they are larger. On older branches there are more berries, but not smaller.

Blueberries bloom in May, around the same time as bird cherry. And the harvest largely depends on whether it was exposed to frost during flowering. If frosts have not affected it, then after two months you can go to the forest to pick berries.

When to pick blueberries.

You can pick berries from the end of June until about mid-August; in different climatic conditions, the picking time is slightly different. The exact indicator when you can pick blueberries is when they appear for sale in the markets.

The best time to collect in our area is the second half of July. At the end of the season, the berries already become soft and overripe. It is best to pick berries in dry weather. And it is advisable to do this with your hands, and not with harvesters, which can damage the bushes, even if you use a harvester. then with sparse teeth that do not tear off the foliage.

And of course, we remember that blueberries can be picked in an ecologically clean forest, far from roads. Here's even a useful cartoon on this topic.

Composition and beneficial properties of blueberries.

Of course, the greatest benefit comes from fresh berries. Therefore, during the season, you should try to eat as many fresh berries as possible.

Blueberries have a pleasant sweet and sour taste. Of the sugars, fructose predominates in it (3.68%). Glucose contains 2.45%.

The rich vitamin and mineral composition of blueberries is especially appreciated. It contains:

macroelements and microelements - phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium, iron, manganese, copper, silicon, iodine, molybdenum, etc.
vitamins - C, B1, B2, PP, carotene,
organic acids - lactic, succinic, malic, citric, oxalic, quinic)
biologically active, pectin and tannins.

Blueberries can be called the periodic table in one berry. Just 100 g of berries per day provides the daily requirement for vitamins.

Medicinal properties of blueberries.

Because of their rich composition, blueberries have long been valued in folk and official medicine, especially for gastrointestinal problems. I remember from childhood - as soon as children had intestinal problems, my grandmother would cook blueberry jelly.

She also always made a delicious liqueur from blueberries. I just sprinkled the berries with sugar and they fermented, I still do this. The result was a tasty thick and sweet tincture, which was also used for medicinal purposes.

Granny also dried a lot of blueberries. She always had a bag of dry berries on the stove, and we loved to eat them.

Dried blueberries were used as a remedy for diarrhea. After all, blueberries contain a lot of tannins. An interesting property of blueberries is that raw blueberries slightly weaken the intestines, while dried ones, on the contrary, have a strengthening effect. The laxative effect is enhanced by fiber, and the fixing effect is enhanced by tannins. After blueberry therapy, the intestines return to normal for a long time.

Everyone also knows the positive effect of blueberries on vision. There are even legends about this. But you should know that blueberries are best for improving twilight vision; they do not solve all eye problems. Many pharmaceutical preparations for improving vision contain blueberries. It is also used for other medicinal purposes.

One of the most popular vitamin products in the Vivasan company is the Blueberry drink, which is useful for both young children and adults. This is a universal vitamin drink to strengthen the immune system. The production technology is such that the drink retains as much as possible all the beneficial substances in a biologically digestible form.

In folk medicine, a decoction of dried berries is used for diarrhea, enterocolitis, anemia, anemia, kidney stones, bedwetting in children, cystitis, gout and metabolic disorders, and to detoxify the body.

Blueberries are an excellent preventative against aging; they have strong antioxidant properties and are able to bind free radicals and remove them from the body. This is especially important in unfavorable environmental conditions.

It is also useful to eat blueberries after an illness, especially after treatment with antibiotics, radiation or chemotherapy. It helps restore the blood formula, remove toxins and harmful substances, free radicals, and radioactive substances from the body.

You can make many delicious desserts and pies with blueberries; I will try to tell you about my favorite dishes with blueberries. There is a delicious recipe in previous publications.

During the season, my family likes to eat blueberries with sugar or honey with a little sour cream, cottage cheese or fermented baked milk. Tasty!!! A great summer dessert.

Blueberry leaves.

Blueberries are also useful for people with diabetes, not only the berries, but also the plant itself. The leaves contain “plant insulin” - neomyrtillin. When picking berries in the forest, you can carefully break off or cut off a few branches and dry them in the shade. And then brew it like tea.

Just do not uproot the plant under any circumstances; let the berry grow and bear fruit for many years.

Blueberry leaves are useful for leukemia, pain in the stomach and intestines, diarrhea, cystitis, uterine and hemorrhoidal bleeding.

Externally, the infusion can be used to cleanse wounds, burns, ulcers, eczema, abscesses, and lichens. But before using the leaves for medicinal purposes, you should consult your doctor.

Blueberries are contraindicated.

Blueberries are that rare product that has very few contraindications. But still they exist. First of all. it should not be consumed by those who have an individual intolerance to these berries.

Do not get too carried away with the berry and for those who have reduced blood clotting, blueberries thin the blood a little.

People with pancreatic diseases and those suffering from urolithiasis should take it with caution.

If you are prone to constipation, you should also limit your consumption of dried berries.

In this case, consult your doctor.

That's how many beneficial properties the small wild blueberry has. Eat for your health, may it benefit you!

In this article we will talk about where and how blueberries grow. We'll tell you how to find this berry in the forests of the Moscow region. We will share valuable information about the benefits of blueberries, harvesting and processing of berries.

Description of blueberries

The berry grows in the form of low bushes with straight stems. Thin blueberry leaves are located along the entire length of the stem, have a smooth surface and an oblong shape. During the flowering period, the shrub is covered with small light green flowers with a delicate pink tint. The fruits are spherical berries of black and blue color, with a faint bluish coating, with juicy reddish-violet pulp, with a large number of seeds. The taste of blueberries is sweet, with a slight sourness. The ripening period for berries is quite extended - from June to August.

How to find blueberries?

If, while searching for berries, you have not found where blueberries grow in the forest, this is not at all surprising. Because it is quite difficult to find shrubs hiding from the sun in a dense coniferous forest. Unlike any other berry, blueberries do not grow in sunny meadows. She prefers the darkest places in the forest, simply infested with mosquitoes and other insects, from which repellents offer little protection. This is why the price of blueberries is quite high. After all, you first need to find where the blueberries grow, and only then will there be a complex process of collecting and delivering the berries to retail shelves.

Useful properties of berries

Blueberries are a healthy wild berry, rich in vitamins and valuable nutrients. Even the important fact that blueberries are fed to astronauts makes us understand how important this berry is in the diet of almost every person. The unique composition of fresh blueberries includes vitamins A, C, PP, E, organic acids and a lot of microelements. The berry is especially rich in manganese - blueberries are the leader in the content of this substance. Let us list the main part of the beneficial properties of this miracle berry:

strengthening immunity;
accelerating the recovery process for colds and viral diseases;
treatment of inflammation of the oral mucosa;
strengthening the heart muscle and blood vessels;
normalization of blood pressure;
antioxidant properties that reduce the risk of tumor diseases;
memory improvement;
treatment of eye diseases;
normalization of metabolism;
maintaining safe sugar levels in diabetes;
healing of skin lesions;
treatment of hemorrhoids and diarrhea;
prevention of epilepsy;
anemia treatment.

The list is quite impressive, isn't it? We invite you to take a closer look at the beneficial properties of blueberries for men, women and children.

Benefits of blueberries for men

Literally a few servings of this fresh berry, eaten in a week, can significantly increase potency. All this is thanks to the flavones and flavonones that are part of it. For prostate diseases, it is also advisable to consume a small amount of blueberries. Moreover, many men suffering from heart disease in old age can significantly improve the health of this organ by adding this berry to their diet.

Benefits of blueberries for women

Since ancient times, these berries were considered rejuvenating. To this day, blueberries, thanks to their high content of antioxidants, not only slow down the aging process of cells, but gradually renew them, thereby rejuvenating them. Regular consumption of blueberries helps normalize the menstrual cycle and improve the functioning of the entire reproductive system. An excellent prevention of varicose veins would be to include these berries in your daily diet.

It is especially useful during pregnancy, when a woman is in dire need of vitamins and microelements not only for her body, but also for the unborn baby. Eating blueberries daily during pregnancy can maintain the required levels of hemoglobin and calcium.

Since during the period of bearing a child the list of approved medicines is narrowed, and no one has canceled colds and viral diseases, decoctions and infusions of blueberry berries and leaves will simply become a lifesaver. The antiviral, antimicrobial and antipyretic properties of this berry simply work wonders.

Benefits of blueberries for children

Doctors recommend feeding children blueberries at the height of the harvest. After all, ripe blueberries perfectly improve immunity, protecting the growing body from colds and viral diseases. Blueberries are one of the few berries that are allowed to be included in the diet of children starting from the age of seven months. To do this, just add literally a handful of mashed berries to the fruit puree. For older children, the daily dose is gradually increased to one and a half to two glasses of berries.

Since children quite often suffer from intestinal disorders, there is experience in treating with an infusion of blueberry leaves, which will quickly relieve spasms and improve the functioning of the digestive organs.

Contraindications

Blueberries have no obvious contraindications as such. But you should be extremely careful when consuming this berry for the first time - do not overdo it with the dosage. Despite the extremely rare manifestations of an allergic reaction to blueberries, such a situation can very well happen.

And, finally, the most important thing - with special care you should eat wild berries collected in places with questionable ecology and high background radiation. After all, if in the places where blueberries grow there is a risk of radioactive contamination, then the berry, like a sponge, will absorb it. That is why you should carefully approach the issue of picking berries, because your health depends on it.

Where do blueberries grow in Russia?

Oddly enough, blueberries are considered a truly Russian berry, because the largest number of blueberry plantations are located on the territory of the Russian Federation. The most common places where blueberries grow are the wet and marshy areas of Tyumen, Trans-Urals, Siberia, Karelia and the Urals. In almost every region you can find a forest rich in wild berries, including blueberries. For example, in the Lipetsk region, where wild blueberries do not grow in such large quantities as in the Urals or Karelia, there is a special nursery where this and a lot of other varieties of berries are grown. We will dwell in more detail on the blueberries of the Moscow region.

Blueberry places in the Moscow region

Mosoblleskhoz provides the following data on the presence of blueberries in the Moscow region:

The forests in the northern Moscow region where blueberries grow are located in the Dubna floodplain, not far from the Taldomsky district.
The eastern part is rich in blueberries in the Meshcherskaya Lowland, as well as in the forests of the Yegoryevsk, Shatura and Orekhovo-Zuevo regions.
In the north-eastern region of the Moscow region - in the forests near Sergiev Posad and in the Losiny Ostrov national park - you can also find a lot of blueberries.
To the west of Moscow, it is quite easy to find berries in the Mozhaisk and Ruzsky districts, as well as near the city of Vereya.
In the north-west there is a great chance of finding blueberries in the Shakhovsky and Lotoshinsky districts.

Collection and processing of blueberries

The best time to harvest blueberries is considered to be the end of July - the beginning of August. Choose either early morning or evening time. To avoid excessive moisture in the berries, choose a day with the driest weather possible. The berries are collected exclusively by hand, carefully, trying not to damage them. You should not pick unripe, damaged or spoiled berries.

There are four main types of blueberry processing:

Heat treatment. Involves the preparation of jam, marmalade, fruit drinks and compotes.
Freezing. Fresh berries are washed, excess moisture is removed, blueberries are laid out on trays in one layer and sent for quick freezing in the freezer. After complete freezing, the berries need to be packaged in containers or bags. These berries are stored for about six to eight months.
Drying. The first three to four days the berries are dried in sunlight, after which they are sent to the oven. Drying is carried out at a temperature of 70-80 degrees until the berries stop producing juice and sticking together. On average, this process will take you about twelve hours.
Rubbing with sugar. An excellent alternative to jam. This type of preparation allows you to preserve vitamins as much as possible, but the shelf life of such preparations is much shorter. The crushed berries are mixed with sugar in a ratio of 1:2.

In addition to berries, blueberry leaves have no less beneficial properties. They are collected in May or early June and dried, but not in direct sunlight, but in the shade.

In general, it should be noted that blueberries should be consumed fresh as much as possible. After all, this is how you can get all the useful substances that have not undergone modification after one or another treatment. If you are bored with simply eating berries or tasting blueberry juice, we offer some tasty ideas in the next section.

Blueberry Recipes

Blueberry muffins. Beat softened butter with sugar and eggs. Gradually add sour cream, flour and a little soda. Gently stir fresh berries into the finished dough and distribute among the molds. Bake at 180 degrees until fully cooked. These muffins will be a great addition to breakfast or afternoon snack.

Curd breakfast. If you or your children do not like regular cottage cheese, then try diluting it with fresh berries, a spoonful of sugar and a small amount of sour cream. The incredibly beautiful color and amazing taste of this cottage cheese will definitely not leave anyone indifferent.

Recently, various smoothies have become extremely popular. An excellent recipe for such a cocktail includes a handful of fresh blueberries, a banana, half a kiwi and a glass of kefir. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a blender - and your smoothie is ready.

Another blueberry smoothie recipe consists of a combination of natural yogurt, banana, a spoonful of honey, orange juice and, in fact, the berry itself. This cocktail will perfectly satisfy your hunger and saturate the body with a lot of vitamins.

Conclusion

In this article, we tried not only to answer the question of where blueberries grow, but also shared a lot of useful information! We wish you good luck in finding and collecting this wonderful berry!

Blueberries are a very popular berry, as they are used both as food and as a healing agent. It is possible to grow this plant under artificial conditions, although for most people the only source so far is fruits from the wild.

The plant's habitat is quite large, so trying it in our area is not so difficult. The berries contain many useful vitamins, macro- and microelements. They make jam, tinctures and much more.

Description

Blueberry is a small bush whose height can rarely exceed 30 cm, depending on the variety. Belongs to the lingonberry family. The black or purple berry is small in size and has a juicy taste - sweet and sour. When eating the fruit, the small grains are practically not felt and do not affect a person’s taste sensations.

The plant blooms from May to June. But all this depends on the variety, climatic and weather conditions. In July, early blueberries ripen and begin to be harvested around the end of the month. It acquires taste later, by August, when it is saturated with all useful substances. The harvest period also depends on the weather during the season and the amount of moisture in the soil.

The lifespan of one blueberry bush can reach 40 years. But they begin to bear fruit only 4-5 years after germination. On old bushes, berries do not absorb useful microelements as well.

The highest quality product is considered to be blueberries, which are collected from bushes at the age of 10-15 years. You can determine the age of a plant by the number of branches - the more branches there are, the older the bush.

Places of germination

Blueberries are a unique plant that grow only in swamps or coniferous forests, where there is a large amount of moisture and shade. Sometimes you can find it in mixed plantings. Therefore, growing the plant at home is very difficult. The berry grows only in the northern hemisphere of our planet. Often this also includes the temperate zone, where forests are found.

It is impossible to find it in warm climates, in open space or in the steppe.

Places of distribution:

Russia (Karelia, Siberia, northern territories of the Urals and Trans-Urals, Tyumen region);
North America;
East Asia;
Northern Europe, etc.

Plant growth is possible only on soils where there is moderate to high humidity. Under such conditions, the blueberry areola can be very large. There are areas where it is found over just a few tens of kilometers.

Artificial cultivation

Since the beginning of the last century, the plant began to be grown in nurseries. Many domesticated varieties of medicinal berries have appeared. Now in the Moscow region alone there are about two dozen varieties.

To increase the harvest volume, two particularly effective species were bred, differing from each other in the size of the bushes. Medium - from 60 to 120 cm and large - up to 2 meters in height. All varieties are adapted for cultivation in their climatic zone and are resistant to sub-zero temperatures. The only limitation for their cultivation in summer cottages is the high groundwater level.

Useful properties

Many people love to eat blueberries, but rarely does anyone think about the composition of the product. After the fruits ripen, they are saturated with many useful components:

organic acids - citric, lactic, malic, etc.;
macro- and microelements - iron, potassium, copper, sulfur, chromium and many others;
vitamins – A, B, C, PP;
flavonoids;
Anthocyanidins are powerful antioxidants.

The healing properties of the plant have many uses. A popular component of decoctions and infusions are the leaves, which need to be collected during the flowering period of the plant. Infusions are choleretic and also help with bleeding. You can find recipes for the prevention of certain diseases on specialized websites.

Blueberry fruits are also very healthy and are actively used in folk medicine.

To normalize digestion and treatment of various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
To reduce inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system. This is achieved by the bactericidal effect of blueberries on many types of microorganisms.
To reduce blood sugar. Therefore, many doctors recommend eating fresh berries for diabetes. Blueberries also effectively fight cholesterol in the blood and strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
As a tonic. The product restores the deficiency of the human body in many nutrients.
To improve vision. The beneficial substances that make up the berries have a good effect on stabilizing blood circulation in the eye area and saturate the cells with the necessary microelements. This leads to faster retinal regeneration. Blueberries are also used as a prophylactic.
For the prevention of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. To do this, doctors recommend eating about half a glass of berries per day.

Blueberry blossoms are very attractive to bees. Therefore, many beekeepers who live near forests take hives especially during this period to the places where the plant germinates. Insects collect healthy and tasty nectar, processing it into honey with a unique composition. Externally, it has a reddish tint.

Picking blueberries

The fruits ripen in mid or late summer. But under optimal conditions, they do not fall off even at the beginning of autumn. During this period, it is recommended to actively collect. The fruits of the plant are small in size, which makes them difficult to collect in the forest. Another disadvantage is the low height of the bush, which forces a person to constantly bend down.

To make picking berries easier, you should follow a few simple recommendations.

Use plastic containers instead of metal buckets or glass jars. To do this, you need to cut a 5-liter plastic bottle and attach some kind of loops to it. Attaching it to your side or hanging it around your neck (small containers only) will make the container easier to access and allow you to use both hands to collect.
Give preference only to round fruits, on which there are no visible damages. In the future, such selectivity will eliminate the unnecessary effort of sorting through a large mass of berries during harvesting.
Blueberries are also grown in industrial quantities. Special combines are used for collection. They have small bowls with handles. At one of the ends of the element there are peculiar combs that allow you to “comb” the berries and accumulate them inside the container. This approach allows you to speed up the collection several times, but at the same time damaging the leaves.

Harvesting fruits

Drying of leaves is carried out only in a dark and ventilated place, periodically stirring the material. When everything is dry, the leaves are separated from the stem and crushed.

There are several basic ways to prepare fruits for the winter.

Drying. One of the oldest ways to preserve all the beneficial substances inside the berry. Before drying, all fruits should be carefully sorted to exclude the presence of branches, leaves or spoiled fruits. The blueberries are then spread in a thin layer on a baking sheet and placed in the sun. It is important to stir only periodically to prevent the appearance of mold and premature rotting.

Dried fruits should be stored in a fabric bag that must allow air to pass through. Some people use paper bags for this.

Freezing. You can use it if you have enough space in your freezer. Thus, the fruits retain much more vitamins and are as healthy as fresh berries. Before sending them into the cold, they should be thoroughly washed and dried so that they do not stick together too much. Some housewives recommend immediately grinding the product, which will be immediately ready for use in winter. Please note that after several repeated cycles of defrosting and freezing, blueberries will lose their beneficial properties. Therefore, it is advisable to initially form the berries into dishes in small disposable portions.
Jam. Perfect for food lovers. Blueberry jam will make your pancakes or pancakes even tastier and more enjoyable. There are many recipes for preparing such a product that everyone can choose to their taste.

Blueberries are a unique berry that grows only in temperate climates. Its taste and healing characteristics allow you to tone the body and reduce the risk of various diseases.

To learn how to prepare blueberries for the winter, see the following video.

Greetings, friends. Summer is coming and it is time to harvest berries. Lovers of the sweet gifts of nature are interested in the question of when to pick blueberries.

Blueberries, berry picking

This berry is useful not only in its raw form, but is also capable of retaining all its qualities throughout the entire winter period, if stored correctly. There are a lot of storage options, and we'll tell you a little about them all. But first you need to figure out where to pick blueberries and how to do it correctly.

In appearance, the blueberry bush is a small plant about half a meter or less in height. The berries are black in color, but due to plaque they may have a bluish tint. The plaque is easy to remove, and then you will understand why the berry has such a name.

Belonging to the lingonberry family, blueberries have a unique sweet taste with a slight sourness. The flowering of the plant begins in May simultaneously with. It is important to remember that the berry harvest depends on how severe the frost was during the birth of the flowers. If the bushes have avoided such trouble, then you can safely expect a rich harvest and get ready to pick blueberries.

Where do blueberries grow?

The most common place where we can find this berry is a forest belt. Mixed and pine forests are a favorite place for blueberries. Don't expect to enter the forest and immediately come across blueberry fields. It does not always grow in carpet style. Most often these are small islands of bushes that are covered with berries.

Picking blueberries

Speaking about what time of year blueberries are harvested, all experts agree - this period stretches from the beginning of July and lasts about a month. But depending on the region, the timing may vary slightly.

Another indicator of the beginning of the berry picking is the appearance of blueberries on the shelves. Those who understand the properties of this berry will definitely ask the question of how to quickly pick blueberries.

And this is logical, since over time the berry becomes soft, overripe and is no longer so easy to pick. To have time to harvest before this, you need to go to the forest at the end of July and choose not rainy weather.

There are two options for picking blueberries:

Manual;
mechanized.

The second option involves the use of a combine. There are different types of clippers, but it is better to use devices with sharp teeth. They do not tear off leaves or damage branches. Better yet, pick the berries by hand. This will prevent the bushes from being damaged, and you will be able to harvest year after year.

Blueberry harvester

Another important point is the neighborhood. If there is an environmentally harmful enterprise or highway nearby, then the benefits of these berries are questionable. Try to go further into the forest and choose clean areas to pick berries.

What are the benefits of blueberries?

Of course, fresh blueberries have the most beneficial properties, so you need to eat them as much as possible in this form.

Blueberries contain the following components:

"Fructose";
"glucose";
"phosphorus";
"magnesium";
"potassium";
"sodium";
"calcium";
"iron";
"vitamins";
"acids";
“pectin” and many other very useful elements.

This is a real periodic table on a bush. By eating one hundred grams of berries a day, you give the body the entire necessary set of vitamins.

Applications of blueberries

Due to the fact that blueberries have so many beneficial substances, they are actively used in medicine. The berry has a special role in folk recipes. Moreover, it is used in different versions, fresh, dried, in the form of jam, dried leaves.

The options for using blueberries are quite varied:

Blueberry jelly is used to normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
dried berries are used to treat diarrhea;
raw berries, on the contrary, have laxative properties for the intestines;
as part of many medicines, the berry treats vision problems;
Blueberry-based cocktails are prescribed to boost immunity for children and adults.

It is difficult to list all the diseases for which the use of blueberries is recommended - kidney stones, anemia, anemia, urinary incontinence, cystitis, gout. And this is not the entire list. The function of removing free radicals from the body is very important, since the problem of cancer is more acute than ever now. It is also useful to eat berries for those who are in the process of treating cancer tumors.

Of course, we must not forget about the main purpose of the berry – cooking. The taste of blueberries makes them part of many desserts. They are not only tasty, but also healthy.

It is worth noting that, despite the benefits, the berry also has contraindications for consumption. Therefore, before eating it in large quantities, it is better to consult a doctor. For example, blueberries have blood thinning properties, which is not recommended for everyone. Some people are allergic to this berry, which is also very important to know. And improper consumption of blueberries can lead to bowel dysfunction.

Where are blueberry leaves used?

Since the bush produces not only useful berries, but also leaves, they need to be properly collected and prepared for further use. Blueberry leaves are not used in cooking, but in medicine quite often, for example, in the form of tea and tinctures.

It is necessary to collect blueberry leaves during the period when the bush is in bloom. It is at this time that they acquire their aroma. It is necessary to pluck the required number of branches from the bush and place it in a place where there is no direct sunlight. After the branches become dry, the leaves are separated from them and ground into powder. Store it in a fabric bag for a year. The branches can also be brewed or prepared as tinctures.

For the first time, the famous Ancient Roman poet Publius Virgil sang about the black queen of the forest.

A contemporary of Caesar and Octavian Augustus, while praising his patrons, he did not forget about healthy eating.

He presented blueberries as a panacea for almost all ailments and misfortunes.

A century later, his compatriot Pliny wrote a work of 36 books, “Natural Histories,” where he examined in detail how this berry is useful for the body.

Based on this knowledge, botanists and healers from all over Europe began to cultivate it, collect it in the forest and grow it in garden plots.

And they noticed that in terms of their healing properties, wild berries are far superior to their garden counterparts. Mostly medicinal berries grow in pine forests, less often in mixed forests; they can be seen both on the slopes of mountains and hills, and in swampy areas.

By the way, blueberries in pine forests are sweeter and less watery than in spruce forests. And its skin is thicker, so it lasts longer.

Blueberries grow almost everywhere in Russia; there are many blueberries in Belarus and Ukraine.

And in Transcarpathia, in the village of Huklivy, even there is a monument to the black queen of the forest. There, at the foot of Mount Velikiy Vokh, there is one of the largest blueberry meadows, and every year the surrounding residents organize a holiday and praise the blueberries. After all, thanks to her, they are full of health and are famous for their unreal longevity.

Blueberries belong to the genus familiar to us from lingonberries and cranberries - Vaccinium, of the Heather family.

In Heather, the roots are intertwined with mushroom threads, which supply the plants with humus, and in return they receive substances produced by berry bushes. The result is a mutually beneficial symbiosis, beneficial for both parties.

The bushes grow from a few centimeters in the tundra zone to half a meter closer to the southern regions. The tall three-meter Caucasian blueberry stands apart. To collect it you have to reach up, and not crawl on all fours.

Wild blueberries prefer moist, acidic soil and sun shining through open woodland. Such optimal conditions help her easily endure any vagaries of nature.

The name of the berry comes from the fact that it blackens the hands and mouth. Its color changes from unripe blue to fully ripe black and blue. If the waxy coating is removed, blueberries live up to their name.

When blueberries ripen

Unlike their sisters - lingonberries and cranberries, blueberries shed their leaves and in early spring only bare, lonely stems appear in thawed areas. But already in April the buds open and elongated green leaves appear.

And towards the end of May - beginning of June, you can take your camera and go photograph the blueberry blossoms. Its flowers are pale pink with a green tint and fragrant nectar that attracts insects.

Bees especially love it, so don’t yawn too much if you feel like taking a photo of blueberry flowers.

Photo of wild blueberries blooming:

The ripening time of the berries depends on the weather in your region, but blueberries generally appear in July, ripen and are actively harvested from late July to early September.

This is confirmed by Russian customs. For several centuries, on July 22, the day of remembrance of Pankratiy and Cyril, peasants took baskets and went into the forest on a quiet hunt for the black beauty.

Blueberry berry photo:

She does not ripen in the forest at the same time. On one bush you can find from just born blue berries to ripe and juicy dark blue ones.

And here is a very beautiful video showing blueberries from ripening buds to ripe berries:

Calorie content

The calorie content of blueberries is small, 44 kcal per 100 grams, which is 3% of the daily value. So eat, enjoy and don’t worry too much.

Blueberry harvester

There are many devices for picking blueberries, from homemade combs to store-bought Finnish scoops. We tested all this on ourselves and came to the conclusion that there is nothing better than a rake.
You can familiarize yourself, watch the video and buy a combine harvester (rake) for picking blueberries.

After all, our workshop “Yagodka Lesnaya” rules!