As is its habit, summer is flying by.
The strawberry season has come and is nearly gone, and its upcoming exit has signaled the start of another highlight on the Minnesota food calendar: the appearance of locally raised blueberries and early season raspberries.
Many farms are reporting bumper crops, and those berries aren't going to pick themselves. Enter the pick-your-own world. To the uninitiated, going the U-pick route has many benefits, including (generally) lower prices, plenty of free samples and unlimited access to fresh air and sunshine.
Then there's the taste factor. Eating something you've picked yourself just somehow tastes better. It's a sweat equity thing, right? But proximity also breeds superiority; there's no denying the quality of locally raised, just harvested berries vs. their bland, shipped-across-the-country counterparts. Truly, there's no comparison.
A few tips: Fragile berries require refrigeration and should be consumed within a few days of being picked. Do not rinse berries until just before eating them.
Berries and the freezer were seemingly made for each other. Spread unrinsed berries in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer berries to plastic freezer bags or containers.
Before heading out to pick, always call ahead to verify availability (all farms listed are in Minnesota unless otherwise noted) and be sure to carry cash. Oh, and don't forget the sunscreen. Now get picking.
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