Blueberry season in North Carolina runs roughly from late May through July, depending on the variety and the weather that year. On our farm in Oxford — 40 acres in Granville County that our family has worked since 1987 — we grow several varieties that stagger the harvest and extend the season as long as the plants will allow.
What we bring to the Carrboro Farmers' Market on Saturday mornings is picked within the previous day or two. These are not blueberries that were harvested green and allowed to ripen in a refrigerated truck. They are ripe, full-flavored, and ready to eat. The difference in flavor between a berry picked at peak ripeness and one picked for shipping is not subtle — it is the difference between a blueberry that tastes like a blueberry and one that tastes like a mild, vaguely sweet sphere.
How we grow them
Our blueberries are grown without synthetic chemicals — no pesticides, no herbicides, no synthetic fertilizers. The plants are managed organically, with attention to soil pH (blueberries prefer acidic soil, which Granville County's native soils tend toward naturally) and careful pruning to maintain productive canes. The result is a healthier plant and a more flavorful berry.
What to do with them
Fresh blueberries are excellent on their own, but they also make some of the best preserves we produce. Our blueberry jam and blueberry preserves are made in small batches from the same fruit we sell fresh at the market. If you miss the fresh season, a jar of our blueberry preserves is the next best thing — and it keeps through the winter.
Find us every Saturday from 7 AM to 12 PM at the Carrboro Farmers' Market. Fresh blueberries are available seasonally — quantities are limited and they sell quickly.