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About the Farm
Griffin Berry Farm has been open since 1989, owned and operated by the Griffin family. We purchased 22 acres in 1986 when it was an abandoned soy bean field, and Bill's fun project quickly turned into the family's "fun" hobby. Initially the land was covered in scrubby tallow trees and weeds. After a lot of hard work the land was smoothed, pond dug, rows made and 2000 blueberry bushes were in the ground. The first year customers had to bend over to get a few blueberries from each bush. Today they are maintained at 8 feet for easy reaching. In 1995, we built our home at the farm which saved hours of driving time. Although we were partly commercial in the early 90's, we are now entirely U pick and have 3 generations of some families still coming to pick. Growing things is Bill's passion, so through the years we've added pears, muscadine grapes, satsumas, kumquats and mayhaws. We also have figs and pecans, but we never get any of these since the wildlife eats them first! Most families come to pick because they love blueberries and other fresh fruit and know the health benefits, but also come for time to meditate, listen to the birds and enjoy a glass of blueberry lemonade in the shade. We'd love to show you around, so please stop by and feel free to ask about blueberries or any other crop that we are growing! We're kid friendly!All about Blueberries
Blueberries were used in America by the Indians long before the first white man made his
appearance on the continent. They were used for food as well as for medicinal purposes.
Wild blueberries grow as far north as Alaska and as far south as Florida. Cultivated
blueberries came into existence during the first decade of this century. Highbush
blueberries are grown commercially in New Jersey, North Carolina, Michigan, Oregon,
Washington state, Arkansas and British Columbia in Canada. Rabiteye varieties are now
being commercially grown in all the southern coastal states from Texas to North Carolina.
Blueberries were first planted in Texas in 1967. Commercial production of blueberries is
one of the newest and fastest growing industries in east Texas.
Blueberries are one of nature's convenience foods as they require no coring, pitting, or
peeling. They are a source of Vitamins A and C and iron with traces of calcium,
magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. A half cup of blueberries contains only 42
calories. Recent studies have ranked blueberries at the top of food rich in
antioxidants. Other studies indicate blueberries to be a factor in reducing memory loss,
which is of great interest to those affected by Alzheimers. In addition to being one of
the best sources of antioxidants, blueberries have been identified to combat some types
of cancer and heart disease.
Fresh blueberries should be plump and full and have a light, powdery, grey-blue color for
the best flavor. Berries will not ripen after picking. They should be stored unwashed
in the refrigerator and will last from two to three weeks. For freezing, berries should
be placed in air-tight containers and put in the freezer. They should only be washed
after thawing.
Map
Map of the Griffin Berry Farm's location |
