Blueberry Season: Pick Your Own, Festivals, Recipes, Tips

Written by Mary Ann Barton

Did you know that July is prime time for blueberry picking? With all the rain that fell on the region in the last couple of weeks, it's likely blueberries are just right.

You can make a weekend trip out of it or grab the kids and go on a weekday. Be sure to call ahead to find out if berries are available. Ask if there's an admission charge and find out if you need to bring your own berry bucket.

Here are several farms and festivals where you can pick your own (or at least pick up your own) blueberries:

Leesburg: Eagletree Farm, 15126 Harrison Hill Lane, offers pick-your-own blueberries in a field near the farm house. Call 703-777-5954 for hours and more information. The farm is usually open from dawn to sundown and is located close to the Leesburg outlet shopping area. 

Bluemont: Great Country Farms, 8780 Foggy Bottom Road, offers blueberry picking on its 600-acre farm in western Loudoun County through July 14. Blueberries are $4 per pound. The farm is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Fun alert: The farm has hayrides that start at 9:15 a.m. and run until 5 p.m. Call 540-554-2073 for more information.

Markham: Hartland Orchard, 3064 Hartland Lane, offers pick-your-own Bluecrop blueberries at $3 per pint from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Be sure to call ahead: 540-364-2316. Click here for directions.

Make a day of it at these other Virginia spots:

Chincoteague: You can head to the 26th Annual Chincoteague Island Blueberry Festival that runs July 19 to 21, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day, at Chincoteague Island. Fresh blueberries, homemade blueberry ice cream from the Island Creamery, plus blueberry jams, jellies, salad dressings and toppings are available. For more information about the island, including its famous wild horses, visit the Chincoteague Island website.

Oak Grove: The Westmoreland Berry Farm, at 1235 Berry Farm Lane in Oak Grove is about two hours from the Washington Beltway or an hour east of Fredericksburg. This farm is located in Virginia's Northern Neck on the banks of the Rappahannock River. Make a day of it and visit the cafe, store, petting zoo and more. It's always a good idea to call ahead of time: 804-224-9171. 

And what to do with all those blueberries you bring home? You can add blueberries to lots of dishes — ice cream, frozen yogurt, smoothies, pancakes, muffins, oatmeal or fruit salads. Plus there are all sorts of intricate blueberry recipes you can try, courtesy of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

As one of the few naturally occurring blue foods, blueberries are great for adding a nutritional kick to your summer menus, according to the blueberry council. With just 80 calories per cup and virtually no fat, blueberries create healthier alternatives to many of the rich, sugary desserts you find at outdoor picnics, the council says. If you're still celebrating as the Fourth of July weekend wraps up, try these patriotic Blueberry Sparklers or Wave the Flag Cupcakes for treats that are pretty to look at and fun to make with kids.

If you have leftover blueberries, you can freeze them. Here are some tips to keep them from freezing together in a frozen clump, courtesy of Frugal Living.

And if blueberry juice stains your clothes? Check out this video from Stain Removal 101.