Welcome to our series sharing Unique Holidays: July 2022: National Blueberry Month, David’s dad hasn’t been feeling well her lately but he loves Blueberries. In Charlie’s Home Economics Class for Cooking this week I am going to have Charlie make a Sugar-Free Blueberry Pie for him. Would you like one as well?
National Blueberry Month
National Blueberry Month is celebrated annually in July and you will want Blueberries, just like almost everyone in America does. My father in law can’t wait to pop Blueberries into his mouth. How about you?
History of National Blueberry Month
Blueberries have been consumed for a very long time including more than 13,000 years, according to some reports but the Native Americans were the first to recognize the versatility of Blueberries. Native Americans used Blueberries for medicinal purposes and as a natural flavoring agent.
The Native Americans were using Wild Blueberries, which have been around for an incredibly long time, but the ones we eat are different. The Blueberries we get in the Grocery Store are the result of one person’s long commitment to cultivating Blueberries. Elizabeth White, the daughter of Cranberry farmers in New Jersey, wanted to expand her family’s business with other crops, particularly Blueberries. While studying at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Elizabeth White’s main interest centered around figuring out how to grow the best Blueberries. Elizabeth White eventually partnered with botanist Frederick Coville to cultivate Blueberries at her farm. Before these efforts, Blueberries could not be grown on any farm the only way to have Blueberries fresh was to pick them in the Wild. Now, Blueberries are available in 35 U.S. States and some other regions around the world. Did you know British Columbia is the largest Blueberry growing region in the world, with Canada coming in third behind the U.S. and Chile.
For many years, the National American Blueberry Council wanted to have July as National Blueberry Month. Eventually, the United States Department of Agriculture officially recognized this month, and the holiday has been celebrated ever since.
How To Celebrate National Blueberry Month
- Blueberries make good snacks on their own or enhance meals. Make a sweet or savory Chicken dish or sprinkle Blueberries into a Salad. Or add Blueberries to grilled Sandwiches. Or you could make a compote to eat with your meals. Turn each day into a Blueberry festival in your home with brand-new recipes and experiments with Blueberries.
- While you can always purchase some fresh Blueberries at the store, why not go ahead and plant a Blueberry plant in your backyard? Check with your local gardening stores, then pick a variety of your choosing, and grow your own Fruit Tree. You can put the Blueberry Tree in your garden or on your patio, but make sure you have adequate Sunlight and no trees around your Blueberry Bushes.
- If you live near a local Blueberry Farm, check if they allow visits for Blueberry picking. If so grab your family and grab a bucket, and head out to pick the freshest Blueberries possible.
5 Fun Facts About Blueberries
- Blueberries were called Star-fruits and the five-pointed star shape that is formed at the end of the Blueberry inspired the name ‘star-fruit’ by the North American indigenous peoples.
- The deeper the color of the Blueberry, the richer the Blueberry is in antioxidants, vitamins, and other healthy minerals.
- The silver sheen or bloom on the skin of Blueberries serves to protect the skin.
- A pigment called Anthocyanin gives Blueberries the blue color, which makes Blueberries one of the only ones that are naturally blue.
- The pigment that colors the fruit Anthocyanin also attacks Cancer-causing free radicals in the body.
Why We Love National Blueberry Month
- Blueberries are the one food with the highest antioxidant than any other food, which are proven to improve the immune system and prevent infections in the body. Blueberries are also great for weight loss; because they have fewer than 100 calories in a cup! Yet more research proves Blueberries also help fight memory loss. With so many health benefits to its name, is it any wonder we are crazy about Blueberries?
- There are a thousand different recipes to try prepare with the Blueberry including desserts, savories, and drinks alike — that a month won’t be enough to celebrate Blueberries. We love how blueberries manages to retain that lovely color and taste in almost all the recipes we’ve tried. We particularly love eating Blueberries fresh.
- Fresh Blueberries can be stored for up to 10 days in the refrigerator, and Blueberries still taste just as fresh. Even the frozen version of Blueberries retains all of its antioxidant properties. There are a lot of antioxidants contained in one Blueberry and Blueberries rank number one in comparison to 40 other Fruits and Vegetables.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
