Farmer Mac's Blueberries still available into next week

Last week we thought there would be a chance that the blueberries would be gone by Saturday. However, there are still plenty of blue and green berries out there for someone who doesn't mind the heat to harvest.

The berries we have now are the ones in the middle of the bushes where you have to move the leaves aside and find them hiding in the shade. Lots of people think these are the best tasting blueberries on the bush and I think I have to agree.

The best time of day to come out to pick berries is between 7 and 8 am and many days during the season we have a parking lot full of cars by 7:20. That makes me happy because then I don't have to worry about people getting overheated in the fields.

If that's too early for you, let me say it a different way. Between 11:30 and about 3pm we have very few brave and hearty souls who choose to pick blueberries in this late spring heat. Can you believe it's not even officially summer yet???

We do have the late afternoon folks who come out between 4 and 8pm and that is also a good time for picking blueberries as it gets cooler as you go.

However, earlier this week the yellow biting flies made their appearance and they are most noticeable in the early evening. For those of you not familiar with them, let me describe them for you. They look like a slightly larger version of a regular black house fly except they have a yellow tint to them. Their main mission in life is to take a big bite out of my legs and arms. They are nuisance flies in the same category for me as mosquitos and sand gnats.

But not wanting to end on a bug note, let me remind you to go to the Blueberry Festival on Saturday in Burgaw, NC. Burgaw is a beautiful old town with a courthouse square where the center of festivities are. In the last couple of years, it has spread out more to encompass the Historic Train Depot and the railroad bed and the area from there to the courthouse.

There is free parking at the government complex on Business 117 and a free Trolley ride to several drop spots around festival activities. The trolley is a neat activity even if you don't use one of the park and ride lots. And you'll save parking frustration by choosing this option as the downtown area is choked with cars pretty much all day long.