I had the pleasure last month to go blueberry picking with my wife not once, but twice on a rural farm in Marion County, Oregon. The family-run farm head hands you a bucket and says, “good luck”.
You pay $2 per pound (astounding) and you get time to converse with… well, no one, if you choose. It’s just you, the vines and your bucket, as the summer breeze keeps it cool(er); you watch as bees do their thing; meadowland bliss. A veritable garden of eatin’.
I don’t often spend leisure time in fields; this pastime was somewhat revelatory for me. Just nature and me, getting to know one another. The chore at hand (literally)? Blueberries (now that I’m a pro) should be picked based on how they look on the outside, unlike how we should choose friends. And no need to pull too hard- the ripe ones are easily accessible and agreeable.
Good-looking blueberries can be sour- just like people. But even sour blueberries can serve a purpose- they can be transformed into bountiful baked goods, sauces, or jams. Yes even the “off” ones have value. Proper care can release their sweetness. Like people.
I learned that it helps to go beyond the tried and true paths traversing the vines. Some people picked only near the main barn. By venturing out further, you can find what you’re looking for. A life lesson via fruit? Sometimes you have to go out of your way to find what you want/need. And sometimes, yes, you do come across low-hanging fruit.
Sometimes you’re focused on just one side of the vine, when simply crossing over to the other side bears fruit. Don’t just look at things one way. Step back a bit; try a different perspective.
When seeking your goals (like a full basket of succulent blueberries) you may have to search longer, further away from your normal comfort zone. Good things are not always in plain sight. No seek, no find.
We had a glorious time picking these amazing berries (which, as George Carlin profoundly noted, are purple… not blue). Filled with antioxidants, fiber, Vitamins C and K, and manganese, these low-calorie pearls of the vine rank up there with walnuts and broccoli as healthy, tasty treats when far too many enjoyable foods nowadays seem to have dubious ramifications (or recalls). Pickin’ and pluckin’ made for a berry good day indeed.
Think about it…