MIDCOAST—The weather may or may not cooperate this weekend for the third annual Wild Blueberry Weekend, August 5 and 6, 2023, but Maine’s iconic blueberry farms will be open to the public.

The Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine invites the public to make the trek all over the state to see and experience the working farms. With nearly 70 farms, eateries, and drink establishments spanning from Kittery in southern Maine to Pembroke and Robbinston in Downeast Maine, this weekend celebrates wild blueberries during their peak harvest.

Here are two local Midcoast blueberry farms within a 30 mile driving distance.

Brodis Blueberries

Hope

128 Jones Hill Road
Hope, ME 04847
207-975-4413

Google Map

Brodis Blueberries sells blueberries and value-added products, and happens to be integral in the formation of the Midcoast’s only distillery: Blue Barren Distillery! At their farm this weekend, people can purchase fresh or frozen wild blueberries, jams, and other products. For food, along with their own blueberry offerings, Brother Shuckers food truck will be there specializing in seafood delicacies and other options along with The Wyman’s “Bee Wild” truck and Mimi’s Kitchen wild blueberry pie tastings. Blue Barren Distillery will be offering its award-winning spirits including several wild blueberry-inspired favorites. Cocktails will be available for purchase each evening from 4:00-7:00 p.m. For activities, the farm welcomes visitors to take a hike around the farm grounds and handpicking some sample blueberries.

One new thing the farm has, which is in the processing packing room, so, unfortunately, the public won’t be able to see it, is a new Optical Sorter, which is a state-of-the-art piece of equipment with two cameras attached that “study” the blueberries rolling down the belt and with pneumatic air jets, picking out anything that’s not a good blueberry.

Ron Howard is the Farm Manager and a committee member of the Wild Blueberry Commission. He and two committee members came up with the concept of Wild Blueberry Weekend three years ago.

“Our hope was to connect people with farms and wild blueberries from the beginning and it has far exceeded our expectations,” he said. “I think people who attend these events walk away with a much better understanding of wild blueberries and their importance to Maine agriculture and their own health and nutrition.”

Blue Barren Distillery will also be in operation Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Ridgeway Farm

Appleton

1005 Appleton Ridge Rd
Appleton, ME 04862
207-542-9302

Google Map

Activities for Wild Blueberry Day include a “hay wagon” ride around a field (if harvest allows) to see views from Appleton Ridge. There will be demonstrations on what the a wild blueberry “picking line” looks like, and people will be able to sample wild blueberries.

Tours will be held between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. From 12 to 3 p.m., Gun Slingers BBQ will be grilling pulled pork sandwiches and brisket quesadillas with a specially made Ridgeberry Farm Blueberry BBQ Sauce. Fresh wild blueberries will be available for purchase (single, four- and eight-quart boxes), with freezer-ready options. They ask that you please leave your pets at home.

“The biggest thing people have been most interested in is our barbeque and our tractor tours, where I pull people around in a hay wagon up in the blueberry fields where the machines are working,” said Harvest Manager Tim Davis. “We also have special areas where people can pick their own blueberries while I am talking about the harvest process.”

Note: the farm will not be open on Saturday, August 5 and only open on Sunday, August 6, starting at 10 a.m.