[Cliffie]

Now, people, corn only needs to be "knee-high by the Fourth of July" to be in good shape. But if everyone's planted late-ripening varieties this year, or if the cool raininess of the year is slowing things down, we can expect a later crop.

[jeanniepep]

Anybody looking for directions to Blueberry Lane, I believe they are right off M-90 which runs through Otter Lake. The street is west of "downtown" (lol) and is actually called Blueberry Lane. You can only turn south on it. Last few years, they've charged $1.99/lb for u-pick berries, or a little more if you want pre-picked ones; I don't know if they will charge more this year or not. They also have blueberry pancakes, blueberry BBQ sauce, other blueberry stuff like that for sale. Very small operation, and really nice folks.

[Da'one]

Kitchen Farm's potatoes out of Elmira are awesome!

[Cliffie]

As far as other/miscellaneous Michigan farm produce goes, be sure to pick up a few bags of Gummer's Farm Manure before you plant your own garden. I have not convinced this fine company to set up a U-Pick Cowpie Emporium, but I'm working on it.

[xz2y]

Originally Posted by Bydand

I'll pick 2 or 3 buckets and be set until next year at this time, all for under $20 which includs the gas to get down there and back.

I just went to their website (Blueberry Lane) and the price for u-pick blueberries is $1.80/pound. A pound of blueberries is roughly 2 cups. A pint is about 2 cups. I'm not sure how big those buckets are you are referring to, but 2-3 buckets and gas for under $20 sounds low based on the prices listed on their website. How much is in a bucket? Stores are selling local blueberries for $2.00/pint, some are a $1.50/pint, which is not much different than the u-pick price, at least at that farm (Blueberry Lane). Am I missing something? I think a more reasonable price for u-pick blueberries would be under a $1.00/pound.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by xz2y

I just went to their website (Blueberry Lane) and the price for u-pick blueberries is $1.80/pound. A pound of blueberries is roughly 2 cups. A pint is about 2 cups. I'm not sure how big those buckets are you are referring to, but 2-3 buckets and gas for under $20 sounds low based on the prices listed on their website. How much is in a bucket? Stores are selling local blueberries for $2.00/pint, some are a $1.50/pint, which is not much different than the u-pick price, at least at that farm (Blueberry Lane). Am I missing something? I think a more reasonable price for u-pick blueberries would be under a $1.00/pound.

I don't go to blueberry lane. The place I go to is on my side of the State and the buckets are typical blueberry buckets, maybe 2 gallon sized or so. Cost per bucket is $4.50. They were thinking of going up to $5 a bucket, but considering it is just a few miles from the house I can still do it for less than $20 with gas.

[YAZ]

Originally Posted by Cliffie

As far as other/miscellaneous Michigan farm produce goes, be sure to pick up a few bags of Gummer's Farm Manure before you plant your own garden. I have not convinced this fine company to set up a U-Pick Cowpie Emporium, but I'm working on it.

I'd rather pick blueberries, thank you very much.



I've slung enough manure for free, I'm not about to pay for it too.

[Coldjensens]

One neat thing is that fresh wild veggies can be harvested along the roads.

Asparagus, dill, wild rasberries, blackberries, sumac (for tea), and wild carrots (Queen Anns Lace) - if you can stomach them grow along many of the rual roads. Probably a lot of other things too.

In the Detroit area some places are known for certain produce. Lyon township used to have huge apple orchards. They are broken up now but lots of homes have 10-50 apple trees so roudside stands abound.

Someplace (Fenton maybe) used to known for strawberries. Corn, cukes, squash and tomotoes grow pretty much everywhere. You can just grow you own (well for corn you need a lot of space)

The nice thing is that you rarely have to water your garden and if you do, you probably have a free water source nearby (lake, stream, river, pond, swamp etc).

[YAZ]

I am guilty of "stealing" wild flowers while camping. I would only take a few with my 'lil garden shovel after I packed up my stuff to go home.

I would then plant 'em in the yard. Man, did they spread.

For self punishment, I always got a slew of free trees from local grocery stores and such around Arbor Day, then plant 'em on state land.

I'm still not tellin' y'all where I get my morel mushrooms.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by xz2y

I just went to their website (Blueberry Lane) and the price for u-pick blueberries is $1.80/pound. A pound of blueberries is roughly 2 cups. A pint is about 2 cups. I'm not sure how big those buckets are you are referring to, but 2-3 buckets and gas for under $20 sounds low based on the prices listed on their website. How much is in a bucket? Stores are selling local blueberries for $2.00/pint, some are a $1.50/pint, which is not much different than the u-pick price, at least at that farm (Blueberry Lane). Am I missing something? I think a more reasonable price for u-pick blueberries would be under a $1.00/pound.

We had a lot of apple orchards where I grew up. When we allowed U-pick we charge a LOT more than we did for the apples that we picked and sold. I think that it was about three times as much. The U-pickers are a huge liabilty risk and destroy your crop. They pick over the best looking fruit and throw the rest on the ground. they break off branches that get in their way, throw litter around. Seomtimes they do really stupid destructive things like peeling off bark. Sometimes they even manage to damage a tree enough to kill it, or make it dormant for a year. They pick the lower fruit and leave just the hard to get at fruit. They always eat some of what they pick so they do nto have to pay for it. If they borrow equipment, they often damage it. They break bushel baskets. In short U-picker are a nightmare for growers. However there is a significant market, so it is worthwhile for an inflated price.

If you U-pick, you are not saving money, you are paying for an experience. Experienced pickers can pick far more efficiently and cost effectively and they need less supervision and create less of a liability risk. Thus U-pick will probably cost a lot more than buying in a store. To me it is paying for work that I used to get paid for, but to my kids it is a special family outing. Luckily they care just as happy picking apples and wild berries in grandpas back yard, but since grandpa does nto spray anymore, the apples are not that good.