Harvesting wild blueberries in Canada

Blueberries: what you need to know

The blueberry is a small globular and bluish berry. With its crown, it looks a lot like the blueberry, as both are cousins of the same family. If blueberries grow more in Asia and Europe, blueberries (vaccinium angustifolium) are found in America.

Almost all wild blueberry production and industries are concentrated in northeastern North America. In Canada, only 20% of the blueberries produced in the country are destined for the national market, all the rest is exported. The blueberry alone constitutes more than half of the fruits grown in Canada.

It owes its blue color to the antioxidants (anthocyanins) it contains naturally. It is rich in water and has a moderate caloric intake (about 50 calories per 100 g of blueberries) compared to other fruits. It also contains good amounts of vitamin C, fiber and minerals.

Wild blueberries contain many more antioxidants than cultivated blueberries. His skin had to develop more to protect itself against external aggressions. The wild blueberry grows low to the ground, unlike the highbush blueberry which produces a shrub.

Wild blueberries in Canada

Wild blueberry production in Canada comes from places where the berry already grows naturally. Wild blueberries need acidic soils, a cold climate and plenty of fresh water. The regions with the most wild blueberries are Quebec and the Maritimes (in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island). In Quebec, there are very large concentrations of wild blueberries in the region around Lac Saint-Jean.

It is found mainly in the forest, in areas that are quite difficult to access other than on foot. The wild blueberry particularly likes areas of forest that have been cut down or burned. They also grow in what are called engineered blueberry fields. These are forests turned into fields by farmers who carefully moved trees and stones to gain better access.

For the best harvests of wild blueberries, the blueberry bushes need to be heavily budding. The producers, or rather those who ensure that there are blueberries every year - are mainly beekeepers. They ensure that the bees are present in sufficient quantity to pollinate all the flowers. An absence of frost at the end of flowering, enough sun and rain are the best conditions to achieve this.

The Canadian Wild Blueberry Harvest

The harvest period extends from mid-August to mid-September, when it is estimated that most (90%) blueberries are ripe. The picking of wild blueberries generally begins 7 days after the start of the harvest of blueberries for cultivation.

For the blueberries growing in the forest, pickers must first set up camp towards the end of July. They settle near the picking and buying areas. They wait for the opening of the buying stations before starting the harvest, to prevent the fruits from spoiling while waiting to find a buyer.

For travel, trucks, cars and trailers are brought to wherever possible. In the forest, trips are made on foot or by mountain bike. Harvesters must prepare temporary shelter (tent, trailer, trailer, etc.), camping equipment and foodstuffs for the duration of the harvest. They are also asked to provide a wardrobe that is resistant to variations - sometimes significant - in temperature. The containers are either supplied by the buyers or provided by the pickers. If they are unfamiliar with the area, it is recommended that they bring a forest map. Since blueberries are quite difficult to pick by hand, there are 2 hand tools to make the task easier: the comb and the bear paw (or claw).

Harvesting can be done day or night. To take advantage of the milder temperatures, it is not uncommon for pickers to start very early in the morning and to work even in the rain.

Harvesting in large blueberry fields - where the ground is flat - is generally done using mechanized or motorized harvesters. Harvesting is very fast when using these harvesters. One day is more than enough to overcome several plots. Under these conditions, we need much less manpower and the people who work do not need to live on site. However, the various harvests must be spread over several weeks to prevent the freezing units from being overwhelmed. In small blueberry fields, the picking is done by the owners of the land, generally as a family.

In Canada, the wild blueberry that is harvested is mostly frozen. However, it retains a good part of its benefits, even in this form. Once the fruits are picked, they are quickly transported to freezing units. Wild blueberries are inspected and everything necessary is done so that each lot can be easily traced. After harvest, wild blueberries are frozen within 24 hours. They are first stored and cleaned. The wild blueberries pass under a giant fan to remove dust and other debris. They then pass over a grading belt to sort them according to their maturity and size. The tipping mat then helps get rid of any clusters. Eventually, the berries arrive on a wider belt so workers can weed out bad fruit or those that don't meet quality criteria. Only then can the duly sorted and cleaned wild blueberries be frozen.