Blueberry season returns to the Ozarks

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - In a typical season, blueberries are ripe for the picking from the second week of June through the month of July.

For Martha Bohner, co-owner and co-founder of Persimmon Hill Farm with her husband Earnie, Mother Nature was able to give them a head start this season.

“For the first time in about 10 years, we opened the season up at the end of May,” Bohner said. “Although it’s a really early season, they’re ripe, ready, and beautiful.”

Bohner gives credit to the weather the farm in Lampe, MO saw throughout this spring for the early start to the blueberry season.

“I think the conditions were just right this year,” Bohner said. “We had a warm spring, and we didn’t have a late frost. A lot of the time when blueberries start blossoming, we would have a little cold spell to hold them back a little bit. Since it stayed warm and since we were able to avoid the late frost, the conditions were just right to have them ripen up early.”

On top of the Bohners thrilled about the early start to the blueberry season, they’re encouraged about the season overall as we march into July.

“We should have a great season,” said Bohner. “We have eleven different varieties from early to late blossom. The earliest varieties are popping up now. The next varieties will ripen and be ready over the next six weeks. Our season is spread out so people don’t need to worry if they can’t get to the farm right away.”

The other varieties of blueberries certainly don’t go to waste with their farm and others using the crops to come up with amazing products for sale. Bohner says the farm offers 35 different products from jam to barbecue sauce, preserves, muffins, scones, bread, and cinnamon rolls. Plus, the farm also has blackberry and gooseberry crops coming along that will keep drawing people in throughout the summer and even into early fall.

Given the kickoff to the season and the weather heating up, Bohner encourages people to call their farm of choice ahead of time for operating hours. Plus, she gave a recommendation for the ideal time for people to show up.

“With it being cooler in the morning, we do open our farm for picking from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the days that we’re open,” Bohner says. “While we do recommend that people come early, there are some that can’t. They can certainly come after work when it starts to cool down by the evening hours.”

Farms like Persimmon Hill will have more information on pricing, hours, and when certain crops are ready for picking. Tech-savvy users can also check the farm’s social media channels for updates as well as the season rolls along.

To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com

Copyright 2023 KY3. All rights reserved.