Text 11217, 69 rader
Skriven 2008-07-28 10:05:06 av DAVE SACERDOTE (1:123/140)
Ärende: Sussmann's Wild Blueberries
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In late July, a small sign goes up on Route 57 in Granville MA, 
right at the turn for North Lane. It's handpainted and it says 
"BLUEBERRIES" and for a few short weeks in the middle of summer 
it will guide you to the best-kept secret in Western Massachusetts: 
Sussmann's Farm.

For more than 20 years, my family and I have taken an annual 
drive to Sussmann's to buy delicious wild low-bush blueberries. 
Gathered on the farm and on other land in the area, the 
blueberries are sorted and packed for purchase at the Sussmann 
Berry Barn on North Lane.

The Berry Barn - about half a mile down North Lane on the right - is 
marked only by a light blue flag and a sign over the door, but 
it's hard to miss. The weathered barn with the rusty tin roof 
is typical of so many other old New England outbuildings; still 
sound and sturdy but with a bit of a tilt that gives the 
impression it's still standing almost from force of habit. 
Drive past the front door and you'll find a small gravel parking 
area just on the far side of the barn, right by a small 
vegetable garden.

Inside, the Berry Barn is open and airy. It gets hot and 
humid even on the hill here, but the open doors and windows 
and shade in the barn make it a little more tolerable inside. 
Flat wooden boxes of freshly-picked unsorted berries are stacked 
near the back by a large blue-painted machine filled with belts 
and pullies that drive a big leather conveyor belt. The berries 
are dumped on that belt and as they travel down to a catching 
area, workers pick through them to pull out stems, leaves, and 
unripe fruit. The berries then go into plastic-lined corrugate 
cartons which hold 25 pound lots of fruit. These cartons are 
either shipped as-is to wholesalers, or portioned out according 
to the preferences of folks who walk in looking to buy berries.

The best thing about buying fruit from the source like 
this is the freshness. We bought a gallon of berries on this trip, 
and they had been picked that very morning. The second best thing 
is, of course, the price. Our gallon of berries cost $25.00, or a 
little over $3.30 a pound, which is a fraction of the price 
supermarkets are charging. The 20-pound box at $50.00 is an even 
better deal. Wild blueberries freeze beautifully, so that would 
be the way to go for longer-term storage.

The wild blueberry season is short. Sussmann's opened for business 
this year on July 21st, and they expect to be all done by the 
third week of August (maybe a little longer if conditions are good.) 
It's always a good idea to call before making the drive.

Contact information:

Sussmann's Farm
North Lane
Granville, MA 01034
(413) 357-8898

Opening dates, hours, and current prices are available on their website -
http://sussmanns.com



---
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blogged with photos at Dave's Cupboard.

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(The extra shelf in Dave's Cupboard.
 * Origin: Doc's Place BBS Fido Since 1991 docsplace.tzo.com (1:123/140)