Blueberries are a favorite glean. It can be a challenge to locate every ripe berry on a bush but the payoff is sweet. Blueberries are high in antioxidant and vitamins and packed with flavor. Lane County has a great number of growers (see http://www.oregonblueberry.com).
Picking
“If you carry your berries in a bucket, you may want to add a rope on the bucket so that you can hang it around your neck or over your shoulder. An excellent bucket can easily be made by taking a 1 gallon plastic milk jug and cutting off 1/2 of the top and sides, making sure you leave the handle part on. You can then put the handle through your belt, and you now have two hands to pick with! Kids – have your parents cut the milk jug for you.” – http://www.wikihow.com/Pick-Blueberries
Eating
From muffins, smoothies and pie to cookies, popsicles, and freezer jam, these berries are versatile and easy to use.
Storage
“Remove any twigs or leaves along with any berries that are soft or moldy. Refrigerate in the original container up to five days. When you’re ready to use them, rinse berries under cold water, drain, and pat dry.” – http://www.marthastewart.com
“Talk about a convenience food: no pit, no peel, no puttering. Even freezing is a snap. Which makes it the perfect fruit for people who have to put off the making of their preserves until the fall or winter. Just pack the berries into freezer bags and pop them into the freezer.” – http://www.registerguard.com/