Get Ready for a Berry Good Summer
By Lisa Tang Fresh air, sunshine, and healthy, delicious berries fresh off the vine are the perfect combination for a fun and rewarding family outing. The Upper East Side of Texas is home to several berry farms where guests can pick their own or buy pre-picked in a variety of container sizes. Blueberry Hill Farms in Edom runs one of the largest you-pick farms in the region. Now in their 20th year, owners Chuck and Sherri Arena predict an especially good crop on their 10-acre farm this year, with a yield of up to 75,000 pounds of big, ripe, juicy blueberries. In fact, 2020 will rank as one of their record crops, Sherri says. Several favorable conditions contributed, she says, including a thorough pruning last fall, no late freezes in Feb-
ruary and March, and plenty of rain and warm spring temperatures. “Right now with all the rain, we have not turned on the well,” Arena said, their usual method of watering when Mother Nature doesn’t do it for them. Conditions are so favorable that the Arenas anticipate opening the farm a week earlier this year — May 22 (Memorial Day weekend) instead of the first of June and they’ll continue as usual through July. Blackberries, which take a little longer to mature, ripen and are available in June. “The longer the berries stay on the vine, the bigger they become,” Sherri said. “The heat ripens the fruits faster.” Blueberry Hill Farm’s 10 acres offer plenty of room for folks to spread out while picking, and new hand-washing stations were added in the field to help
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keep sanitation in the forefront. They also do curbside service for visitors who want to purchase items without leaving their vehicles. The farm’s country store is full of treats including blueberry lemonade, pies, muffins, jams, and turnovers. Blueberry ice cream is the farm’s most popular treat -- a nice cool down for hot pickers. Like many berry farms in the region, Blueberry Hill does not use pesticides. Besides berries, the Arenas sell blueberry juice to people who want to supercharge their immune systems. “Blueberries contain antioxidants, which boost the immune system,” Arena said. “Some people take it in shots every day.” Farms in the region open when the berries ripen, which is usually the first week in June — call ahead to check days and
