Whether you like them straight from the U-Pick farm or chilled from the grocery store shelves, fresh blueberries are available in abundance this time of year in Florida. Many Floridians have memories of picking blueberries with their families, or eating the delicious fruit in spring and summer desserts.
Blueberries are not only tasty, but also highly nutritious, packed with vitamin C, fiber, manganese and antioxidants. In fact, one cup of blueberries only has about 80 calories, making them just as good for you as they taste.
Blueberries are one of the few crops grown in Florida that are actually native to the region. Several varieties of blueberries are grown in Florida from the Panhandle down to Central Florida. If you never considered visiting a U-Pick farm, you can locate one through FDACS’s agricultural product and retailer database.
DPI plays a special role in Florida’s blueberry industry because the division is responsible for inspecting blueberry plants for harmful pests and diseases. Learn more about how DPI protects Florida’s plant and apiary industries at http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi.
Filed under: Misc Tagged: agriculture, Berries, Blueberries, Blueberry, Business, Florida, Food and Related Products, Fruit, landscape, natural resources, plant, produce
