The roads of East Texas are beautiful this time of year!
We followed the twisty-turny, forested roads near Edom, Texas, to knock off one of our many summer bucket-list items. To make the most of our travels, we started brainstorming last winter and that’s when we discovered “Blueberry Hill Farms”, an “u-pick” farm. Since we’re on the road much of the growing season, its hard for us to maintain a garden at home, so “u-pick” gives us the best of both worlds making it one of our favorite summer activities.
When one arrives at a farm such as this, someone typically greats you, explains the process, and sends you on your way to pick until your heart is content. We arrived early to beat the heat and crowds which gave us a row to ourselves. The children had a great time filling their buckets with their carefully selected berries. I had even more fun watching them do it!
The farm also has an on site country store where they offer fresh baked goods, jams, honey, etc. I was able to try a sample of their famous “Blueberries and Cream” pie made from a top secret recipe. I normally find fruit deserts too rich for my liking, but this was amazing, and I would recommend trying a slice if you visit. Another highlight was the freshly made donuts (my favorite was the sugar coated) that have little bits of blueberry inside.
if fresh berries weren’t enough, temptations were waiting around every corner. Pies made from a secret recipe, fresh donuts, and other tasty products are found in the country store.
Besides having a fun, family outing, I had two additional motives to visiting Blueberry Hill Farms. The first was allowing my children the same experience I had when I was little. My dad used to work on a farm with a berry orchard and I have a faint memory of picking with my mother. The second reason was that It is important to me that our children know where their food comes from. It helps solidify that knowledge if they can be involved with hands on experiences, even if it is just the end result of harvest. Despite being in production agriculture, there’s always more to learn. Our segment is just a small percentage of what it takes to put food on the table. Farmers are very knowledgeable and passionate about raising a safe and healthy food supply. I highly encourage you to reach out directly to the source when you have questions. They are the true experts and owners, Chuck and Sherri, were gracious hosts and answered my questions about blueberry production. If you’re interested in learning more about the technical side, check out my post over at All Aboard Wheat Harvest. And if you’re ever in there area, stop by Blueberry Hill Farms, where the owners or their friendly staff will help you have a great experience!
