Y.V.Fresh Exposed: Blueberries
Here at Y.V.Fresh we want to educate everyone on why our produce is good for you as well as how we grow and harvest it. Today we are launching a new series called ‘Y.V.Fresh Exposed’ where we will give you a rundown of each berry individually. We start of with the deliciously nutritious Blueberry.
What: Are Blueberries?
Blueberries are a small, soft round fruit, around the size of a marball. They are purplish-blue in colour and have a thin flavourless skin accompanied by a sweet and tangy centre. The whole fruit is edible and it has no seeds inside.
Where: Are blueberries grown? Blueberries are grown all around Australia predominantly on the east coast.Y.V.Fresh blueberries are grown in farms around Victoria and Tasmania.
How: Are they grown? Blueberries are grown by cutting parts of already established blueberry bushes. The clippings are then planted into small pots in a greenhouse so that the plant can stay safe and warm in order for it to begin growing. In a few months time the plant has grown large enough roots to be transferred over to the open field. The Blueberry plants will continue to require a large amount of sun, water and fertilizer as they continue to grow.
By December, blueberry plants are producing enough edible berries to start being picked and packaged. Blueberries are a very delicate fruit and therefore need to be handpicked in order to not destroy the berry.
Being so delicate, blueberries need to go from farm to plate quite quickly. If you are in Australia, buying Australian blueberries such as those from Y.V.Fresh, there is a high probability that those berries have been picked from the bush the day before, packaged and transported to stores overnight.
When: Are they ready to be eaten? Blueberry farmers in Australia begin to plant the clippings of established blueberry bushes in greenhouses during the colder months such as July. By December the clippings have grown into plants and been transplanted into open field where they have grown their berries ripe enough to start being picked. The typical blueberry season in Australia begins in December and lasts until April.
Why: Are they good for you?
Blueberries are nutrient dense and therefore one of the healthiest foods you can put into your body. They have many vitamins with the highest ones being Vitamin C and K. These two vitamins are great for rejuvenating the body's organs as well as keeping bones healthy. Blueberries are also loaded full of antioxidants that act as a cleaner to your body, killing of any unsuitable toxins your body may be exposed to.
So there you have our take on an expose about blueberries. We hope that you enjoyed learning about everyone's favourite little berry. If you to have any facts on the blueberry be sure to share them on our social media pages
