July is National Blueberry Month and there is no better place to celebrate it than near your apartment in East Rutherford, New Jersey! The blueberry we know and love today was essentially created in New Jersey and has grown to be a national favorite.
The blueberry farming industry was started by Elizabeth Coleman White 100 years ago and has now spread all over the world, continuing to grow each year. Before her careful crossbreeding of wild blueberry (then known as huckleberry) bushes, they were wild plants that couldn’t be cultivated and the berries were not the sweet juicy treats we buy today. The Blueberry Queen revolutionized farming in the Garden State and July is the perfect time to celebrate her accomplishments.
1. Go Berry Picking!
New Jersey has no shortage of pick-your-own farms and if you live in East Rutherford you should head to Hillview Farms. July is their you-pick-blueberries month and your family will have a blast exploring the farm, learning the history of the blueberry, and filling your buckets with enough blueberries to last all year!
2. Farmers Market
If getting down and dirty by picking your own blueberries doesn’t interest you, but you still want to take full advantage of the local fare, head to
17 Farmers Market on 17 E. Union Ave. in East Rutherford for a wide variety of locally grown foods, including several different varieties of blueberry fresh from the farm.
Once you’ve picked or purchased all the blueberries you can handle you can enjoy them fresh, bake them in pies, muffins, and breads or try your hand at canning so you can enjoy them all year round. East Rutherford, New Jersey is a great place to enjoy and appreciate the blueberry in many ways, but don’t wait because the month of July will be over before you know it!