| Share a Little Sunshine: Let's Make Family Time and Pick Blueberries Together in Florida. |
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| May 12, 2009 |
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Ah, sunny days and summer coming. Let's share the sunshine and make time for family time. And I have a great way to do that - gather up family and friends and go pick blueberries. The season is short. They are just coming ripe now and will be good to go all through June and maybe July.
Here is a link to locations around around the state that welcome you to pick their produce. My suggestions - wear sunscreen, closed-toed shoes, a hat, bring water and take a bucket to bring your blueberries home. I like to go early in the morning before the sun is full overhead.
When my kids were little, going blueberry picking near Gainesville was a sure sign of summer. Being the tallest one, I'd work the top of a bush, while two sons concentrated on the middle and the youngest son found the ripe ones on the bottom of the bush. Of course, he managed to taste test a few. Once the field owner saw his purple mouth and suggested we should weigh him and charge by the pound! He was kidding. Last weekend, friends and I went to an organic blueberry farm in Island Grove. I'm still eating fresh blueberries!
And once you get home? There is nothing quite like fresh blueberries and cream! Not to mention the fun of making blueberry pie together.
Want more? Here are some upcoming blueberry festivals:
Island Grove, where Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings lived near Gainesville, has its Blueberry Festival this Saturday May 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is a blueberry bake sale, old time activities like a turkey shoot and blueberries and plants will be available.
Saturday, May 16 is the Bostwick Blueberry Festival from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bostwick is 7 miles from Palatka. To start your day off with a taste of blueberries, the festival has a blueberry pancake and sausage breakfast available form 8 a.m. to noon for $5.
Friday, June 5 and Saturday June 6 is the Wellborn Blueberry Festival in Suwannee county. This is a family affair with children's games, live entertainment and yes, lots of blueberries.
Share a Little Sunshine to Win Big!
Blueberry picking and festivals fit right in with a new VISIT FLORIDA campaign called Share A Little Sunshine. It is all about getting back to what matters most and spending time with the people we care about. Works for me! There are short videos on the Share A Little Sunshine web site that you can send to invite family and friends (or a special someone) to come visit you in Florida or meet you in Florida for a getaway. You can email these videos and also include an invitation to go blueberry picking!
Every time you send an invitation to share Florida sunshine you are entered in Sweepstakes. The prize for Week 1 (that is right now) is a seven-night getaway to Central Florida. How cool is that? Click away. Send invitations to come share the sunshine. The more you send, the more you are entered to win!
Enjoy ... |
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| Picked blueberries posed before eating |
| Credit: Lucy Beebe Tobias, VISIT FLORIDA Authentic Florida Expert |
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