A delicious kind of blue
This article was originally published in July 2014
We go crazy for LaPierre Farms fresh, plump, gorgeous blueberries every July. Really crazy. As in, last year we sold 90,000 pounds of the fresh blue orbs.
What makes these berries so phenomenal? Mark LaPierre and his team’s thorough, attentive care to their organic crop and their ability to pick the berries at the perfect moment.
Mark started his farm in 1985 in Zillah, Wash., but only started growing blueberries in 2010. The berries we’ve come to know and love are the Duke variety, which are known for their exceptional size and flavor. This year, Mark will have another variety as well, Draper, to help extend the fresh blueberry season. Draper blueberries are crunchy with a rich flavor and will hit peak ripeness as the Dukes are reaching the close of their run.
The berries themselves are harvested by hand; blueberries don’t ripen all at once, so pickers pass through the fields multiple times and are very selective about what gets picked when. Picked berries are cooled overnight and then are shipped the next day to PCC. So you are getting them at their absolute freshest.
Take a tour through Mark’s blueberry fields. Watch our video »
Cooking with blueberries
Rich in antioxidants, the mighty blueberry offers the perfect balance of sweet-tart goodness. Gobble them up by the handful or add these incredible blue delights to salads, muffins or dessert.
Our Blueberry Ginger Sauce can be drizzled over pancakes or ice cream, folded into yogurt or mixed in with your oatmeal. Hosting a gathering? Bake up a batch of tasty Blueberry Hand Pies or mix up a little Blueberry Salsa.