Main Clams and blueberries (Camden: house, school, income)

[Annchantal]

Hi you guys,

Just curious to know when is the best period to pick wild blueberries in Maine. I know it's in August but, is it good all August ??? Does the Camden area have a lot of blueberry fields? Anybody have a good blueberry cobbler recipe ???

Also, my daughter would like to go dig her Own Clam Dinner, how difficult is that and is there some special beaches to do that ?

Weird Canadians,,, I Know !!!

[forest beekeeper]

Wow, that is weird, total silence.

I know nothing about clams. I know very little about blueberries.

So I can not help you.

But neither did I want to see this thread go for so long without any responses.

I do wish you luck in finding answers.

[msina]

here is a link to Pick-Your-Own farms in Maine, hope it helps

http://www.getrealgetmaine.com/visit...own_farms.html

[Maine Writer]

The best blueberry time changes from year to year. Some years I'm picking in late July and others not til mid August. There are times when owners have a hard time keeping rakers because the kids go back to school. Blueberries hold well on the plant so it's better to wait an extra week than pick a week early. We have low bush plants here. When picking, be sure you're not on a company barren. They frown on having their berries picked.

When digging clams look for a sandy spot. It's much easier to dig in sand and the clams will be cleaner. Mud is messy (stating the obvious here!) and the clams will be muddy. You can legally dig a certain amount of clams per person without a permit. maine.gov probably has the info. It's probably a peck or so. It's not the easiest work because you're bent over in the sun but hey, you're on the beach of the Atlantic ocean - it can't be all that bad.

[Annchantal]

I see, maybe the fish market would be more fun !!! lollll Thanks for the great answer Main writer !

[Toria]

digging clams and picking blueberries is back-breaking work....it's fun for about ten minutes. Be careful about where you try to dig, the licensed folks can be quite territorial about it.

[elston]

Years ago when I moved to NH I took my little kids out "blueberrying" we drove out on a country road, saw a field of low bush berries; hopped out with our pails and bowls lol and started picking. They sure looked wild to me and there wasnt a farm house in sight...but we did climb over a stone wall! Soon we were greeted by an angry farmer (did he have a shot gun? I can't remember but his attitude suggested it) Of course we were trespassing (forgive us our trespasses as we ....). He allowed us to keep what we already had of our "ill gotten goods". In these days where someone owns everything, I don't know where you can just stop by the roadside and pick--probably ain't such a place. Robert Frost has a droll poem about the competitiveness and secretiveness of blueberry-ers. Do they have PYO blue berry farms like apples and strawberries?

[mollysmiles]

I'm not sure of a PYO blueberries place, but I know around here there are some general areas people can go, so that may be something that you can learn about once you're in your "town". I know the companies are really strict concerning trepassing. We went to get a geocache on Wyman's land during the harvest, and stopped to talk to one of the bosses before we went down in the fields, just to be sure he knew what we were doing!

I've never seen a problem with digging clams though. It is hard work, but it doesn't take long to get your "unlicensed" amount. I know many of the guys are willing to help you out if they happen to be on the flats with you, and here if you find someone who clams on a regular basis they'll often offer to take you or point you in the right direction.

[elston]

I was born in ipswich massachussets; my Dad was just out of Tufts Divinity School and his first church was in Essex. He had a young family and the church couldn't really afford a livable salary--so he supplemented his income digging clams. In later years as we enjoyed clam bakes, he always remembered the back breaking and hand cutting job of digging clams. (We owe our parents such a tremendous debt, it is worth stopping and considering! Mine is gone but I appreciate him more each year.)

[Toria]

I lived in Ipswich for a while many years ago, it's a beautiful area. Your dad sounds like a wonderful and hard-working man...