The Golden Orb

So… When is the last time you had an exquisitely huge, plump, juicy blueberry pop in your mouth? I’v been eating them all day — Mmm!

I took a nice long drive…

To a place called Childs’Blueberries, a family run enterprise high in the hills of Humphrey, NY.

I planned a day-trip to their u-pick area to get myself a bushel basket of blueberry yumminess…

What I got was so much more.

I was introduced to Dan Childs, owner of the whole shebang, and that was just the beginning of a very interesting afternoon.

The grand tour began at the sorting area, where Dan’s wife Carrie and an employee were sorting the most fabulous blueberries from the not so fabulous ones so they can be packaged up for sale at several Buffalo NY area farmers’ markets.

Yeah, get to one if you’re within a lengthy driving distance- it’s worth it. Totally.

I was then zoomed off on a golf cart to cruise the vast rows of the farm- over 50 varieties on over 8 acres.

The blueberry farm uses a pond-fed irrigation system. The bullfrogs love it- they were all “talkin’” to me as I got this shot…

There are also 8 foot fences around the entire farm to discourage the local deer and black bear from munching. What a great place for bird feeders!

After my tour I hit the fields, armed only with two hands and a bucket. Look what I found!

I picked and picked, stopping along the way to chat with Bob, the more senior Mr. Childs and founder of the farm. He let me in on a little known blueberry fact. If you throw some big, fat frozen blueberries in with your white merlot it will stay chilled, yet not watered down. When the glass is empty, you get to eat ‘em

Back to the berry pickin’.

I came back to the u- pick area, ready to weigh in, pay and go home. I was greeted by Audrey Childs, Bob’s wife and Dan’s mom. Mrs. Childs was most gracious, helping me to bag up my take with a warm, friendly smile.

Check out my berries!

Can you believe these luscious beauties are only $1.40 per pound?! It pays to come get them yourself! The whole basket was only $12.81. Life doesn’t get any better than this! I can’t wait to bet these babies home and get cookin’.