We went blueberry picking yesterday, and as it happened, we learned more than just how to pick a few berries. Regular readers will recall that my gardening efforts need tweaking, and I always welcome the opportunity to tweak. When we arrived at the fields, our host was more than helpful–showing us the water fountains, bathrooms, berry buckets, and the best rows to pick from. The farmer lingered around, eyeing our family and seemed surprised that the kids were working. He told us that a woman with two strapping teenaged boys just left and how he got onto them for sitting in the shade while their mother picked berries. Seeing that he was feeling chatty, I took it as an invitation to ask a few questions.

After picking, we planned to meet up with friends who graciously offered to host us at their vacation retreat. (I highly recommend staying there if you’re in the area. And even if you’re not.) The hour was getting late, and it probably wasn’t the best time to ask an organic farmer about government regulations. Boy howdy, did he get all riled up! The stories were worth standing in the heat, though, getting bit by fire ants.

I noticed that about folks–you just ask them a question about a subject they enjoy and it’s hard to get a word in edgewise. He had a captive audience between my husband and me, and I gathered that he didn’t mind our asking all about the culture, profitability, and business of growing blueberries. We learned more in that hour than all the books I’ve read on the subject, and I also noticed that most of the information I’d read was bogus. The farmer explained that raising berries is more of an art than a science, and I believe that he is correct on the matter. We paid him about $24 for the blueberries, but I’d say that’s a pretty inexpensive education.