Country Magic highbush blueberries delight the palate

Many companies give themselves names to make them and their products seem more appealing, to tantalize and tempt us. At Country Magic, located in Canning, the agricultural heart of the Annapolis Valley, something truly wondrous is happening.

Country Magic is the largest fruit and vegetable grower in Atlantic Canada and it’s their fruit that gets me particularly excited. They grow amazing strawberries that are now available three times per year, as well as blackberries and both red and yellow raspberries. If you’ve driven through that area you may have also noticed hundreds and hundreds of rows of highbush blueberries, or cultivated blueberries as some refer to them.

Chances are that if you’ve picked up a box of highbush blueberries at any grocers in Atlantic Canada, they had their start in Country Magic’s fertile soil. Some people may not be aware that there are two very different types of blueberries available. Lowbush or wild blueberries grow wild all across Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick. While farmers assist the plants in growing, they don’t actually plant them, and the berries are significantly smaller than their highbush cousins. Highbush blueberries on the other hand are planted and managed throughout their entire growth cycle; as the name suggests, they grow into significantly taller and larger shrubs than do lowbush plants. Each type of blueberries has their own flavour characteristics but are equally delicious used fresh or in recipes.

The folks at Country Magic are especially conscientious in the care of their plants. They fertilize with seaweed extract, which is not only a natural product but boosts plant health and prevents disease. When you’ve spent that much time, expense and care nurturing your plants, you’re equally careful with the harvesting; every berry that leaves the Country Magic farm has been handpicked and quickly cooled so that when you get it home it’s as fresh as if it just came off the bush. If the berries go into long-term storage, they aren’t frozen; rather they are put into climate controlled storage where oxygen levels are lowered and carbon dioxide levels are increased. This essentially puts the berry to sleep, maintaining its quality for a long period; I think that’s partly where the magic comes into play!

Often when purchasing highbush blueberries you’ll notice that there are many variations in the colours of the berries themselves as well as in the sizes of the fruit. Some people believe that this is because the berries are at different stages in ripeness but it is actually because there are more than 40 different varieties of the plant and the varieties can be combined together in the packaging process. This also means an extended growing season, which is “berry” good news for those of us who are berry lovers.

While some people prefer the convenience of picking up their berries at the store, others prefer to be outdoors harvesting their own fruit, and Country Magic has you covered there as well! Consumers can access the Country Magic U-Pick by arriving at “Between the Bushes” in Canning. From there you will be directed to a field; if it’s nearby you’re able to walk, and if it’s a field that’s farther away, transportation to and from the picking area is provided by way of bus.

The season for picking blueberries at Country Magic begins in mid- to late July and runs through to the end of September. While the fresh season is over and cooler temperatures have now arrived, it’s always nice to have something to look forward to.

I hope to see you in the fields picking your own blue magic during the next harvest season!
 

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