mountain man primitive discusses Georgia Blue Berries

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1355557

Oh my.

ThomWV  (1000+ posts)        Fri Jun-24-11 10:42 AM
Original message

A very little bit of research that went nowhere - but interesting

Yesterday evening Rachel mentioned the labor shortage problem that agriculture is facing in Georgia caused by the enactment of a bill that ran 'illegal immigrants' out of the state. It is reported that as much as $1 Billion worth of crops have or may rot in the fields. I have seen several references to the problem this morning too, and one thing they all have in common stuck me as odd. In each of the reports it was mentioned that the Blue Berry crop would be one of those most effected.

What stuck me as odd about that statement was that I didn't know Georgia even had a Blue Berry crop. I always thought of Blue Berries as a crop of the cooler north. I had no doubt someone in Georgia was growing Blue Berries, I just couldn't imagine that it was a crop of such import that it would be included in the mention of those contributing to a pending economic disaster for Georgia's farmers.

So I went looking for information on Georgia's Blue Berry crop. After all, if it is significant then my understanding of Blue Berries needs some serious correction. Well, as it turns out Blue Berries are a very small part of Georgia's agricultural output. In fact there are only about 5000 acres devoted to their cultivation in the state. For comparison there are individual farms in the mid-west that grow corn that are larger than Georgia's entire blueberry acreage.

And on top of that the report I read said that half of those 5000 acres are located in one county. Hmmmm. I wonder who it is in that one county that grows Blue Berries that is so important as to deserve mention in this Governor-caused disaster for Georgia's farmers? Just seems odd to me.

Are Blue Berries something different from blueberries?

Remember, the mountain man primitive's a college graduate.

TlalocW  (1000+ posts)      Fri Jun-24-11 10:53 AM
Response to Original message
 
1. I can help piece it together for you...

Little known fact - while Frankenberry and Count Chocula are both European, the Boo-Berry Ghost is in fact a southerner... in fact, when he was alive, he was a high-ranking soldier in the rebel army during the Civil War. He died while on leave defending his plantation, which he had planted blueberries on (which he was personally obsessed with). Now he haunts his descendents making sure that they continue to grow blueberries, not only for his cereal but also for regular consumption.

That ought to be enough new info for you to find out who it is.

TlalocW - Hasn't had his morning cereal yet so some of this info may be suspect

yella_dawg (1000+ posts)      Fri Jun-24-11 10:54 AM
Response to Original message
 
2. Blueberries grow in East Texas

Blueberries produce a dense crop with a high value. Corn produces very little profit per acre compared to blueberries. Blueberries are long-lived bushes where corn requires intensive efforts to plant, weed, and so forth every year. Blueberries are worth something like ten times as much per pound as corn.

Blueberry picking and packing is highly automated. Can't imagine what they're talking about.

Angry Dragon  (1000+ posts)        Fri Jun-24-11 12:15 PM
Response to Reply #2
 
3. The first time I was in East Texas I thought I was driving through northern Minnesota with all the pine trees I saw.

Was very surprised. Blueberries grow wild in Minnesota...........

Whole families will go in search of the berries however they need to watch for the bears that like to pick them also

[NHSparky]

Huh...all this time, I thought it was blueberries.

While I will say it's far more appetizing to have blueberry pancakes as opposed to corn ones, ever tried to bar-b-que blueberries?  Kind of a PITA since they keep slipping through the grill.

[Rebel]

Alaska grows some of the biggest blueberries you'll ever see.

[BannedFromDU]

Alaska grows some of the biggest blueberries you'll ever see.

     All genetically mutated by Monsanto, who greased the palms of Sarah Palin to make it happen.

    /dumode

[Skul]

Texas blueberries are only about half the size of the Alaska variety.

[GOBUCKS]

You can get blue  berries at the air  port, on your way to the laundry  mat.

[Karin]

While at the air   port, you can catch a flight to Maine, where they have a tourist trap scheme involving Blue   Berries.  It's a little like Tom Sawyer getting the kids to whitewash the fence.  They get the tourists to pick the berries, after which they still have to pay for them (not dirt cheap, either).  They market it on billboards and such to make it sound like fun.  Hey Kids!!  Come pick your own blueberries!  Great Fun for the Whole Family!!!

[GOBUCKS]

I think it would be fun to white  wash a fence.

[Skul]

I think it would be fun to white  wash a fence.

Or, a stone wall.

[ChuckJ]

According to this article link as of 2010 Georgia has more than 14,000 acres growing blueberries. Based on my travels through the state, several of the counties have acreages dedicated to blueberries. Though I've never been I have heard that Bacon County has had an annual Blueberry Festival for many years so I would assume it is one of the larger growers.

From what I have seen most of the blueberries today are machine harvested. Although humans do run the machines and probably do some, if not all, of the sorting and packing I still find it hard to believe that a decrease in illegal immigrants is going to destroy, or even come close to destroying, the blueberry industry. In my youth, back before machines harvested most crops, high schoolers, and sometimes younger folks, on summer break did a lot of harvesting. I began working in the tobacco field driving a tractor pulling a harvester when I was 8 years old. This harvester had 4 tobacco pickers (humans) and 4 stringers (humans) and usually two humans stacking the full sticks and providing empty sticks. By 9 years old I was picking tobacco. At no time was there ever trouble finding help to do the harvest. At no time were there illegal immigrants involved.

[miskie]

Blueberries are not difficult to grow.

A ) Sandy, yet well fertilized soil (for drainage)
B ) Water, lots of it.

If you can muster these two magical ingredients, you too can grow Blue berries. As well as Rasp berries and Boysen berries. 

[Rebel]

Texas blueberries are only about half the size of the Alaska variety.

You don't believe they grow blueberries in Alaska? I've bought some at the farmer's market in Fairbanks and Docstew was stationed there for over 3 years. Things grow big as hell when the summer hits because of the daylight.

http://www.simply-blueberries.com/alaskan-blueberries.html

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=Am0_rm7Cu_CqkLQhGlXp0DybvZx4?fr=yfp-t-701-s&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF8&p=alaskan%20blueberries

[Ballygrl]

Why can't people who are able-bodied and collecting public assistance be forced to do jobs like this?

[ChuckJ]

Why can't people who are able-bodied and collecting public assistance be forced to do jobs like this?

You mean do work in exchange for getting money? I would bet that they are against it. lol.

Speaking of public assistance, I actually spoke with someone the other day who lived in a government housing apartment. They are only paying $10 per month plus utilities. I couldn't believe it.

[Skul]

You don't believe they grow blueberries in Alaska? I've bought some at the farmer's market in Fairbanks and Docstew was stationed there for over 3 years. Things grow big as hell when the summer hits because of the daylight.

:rotf:I wasn't kidding about that Reb.  I know they do.

[Ballygrl]

You mean do work in exchange for getting money? I would bet that they are against it. lol.

Speaking of public assistance, I actually spoke with someone the other day who lived in a government housing apartment. They are only paying $10 per month plus utilities. I couldn't believe it.

If you're able bodied you should be forced to work for those benefits.

[docstew]

You don't believe they grow blueberries in Alaska? I've bought some at the farmer's market in Fairbanks and Docstew was stationed there for over 3 years. Things grow big as hell when the summer hits because of the daylight.

http://www.simply-blueberries.com/alaskan-blueberries.html

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=Am0_rm7Cu_CqkLQhGlXp0DybvZx4?fr=yfp-t-701-s&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF8&p=alaskan%20blueberries

You mean like the cabbage (single head of cabbage) that is 3 feet across and weighs in excess of 90 pounds?

[Rebel]

You mean like the cabbage (single head of cabbage) that is 3 feet across and weighs in excess of 90 pounds?

Remember that farmer's market there that sold shirts that said, "Alaskan Grown"?

[ChuckJ]

If you're able bodied you should be forced to work for those benefits.

Oh I agree. My thoughts are if they had to work for the handouts they would likely realize that they could make more money working a real job and get off the dole. I just don't think they will with you.

Part of my job requires traveling so I often get to see these healthy guys living it up with no job. I remember once riding through a neighborhood in the middle of the week at about 2:00 in the afternoon and seeing about 15 head of able-bodied men sitting under an oak tree drinking beer. We were tired out from working and they were enjoying life. The guy with me sarcastically said that they must have all taken vacation at the same time.