By BARARA OEHLBECK

(Genus Vaccinium, sect. Cyanococcus.) Flowers are bell shaped, white, pale pink or red, sometimes tinged with green. Pat Mudge declares that the blueberry flower’s fragrance is even more delightful than that of orange blossoms. “It’s a light, delightful scent that floats over the fields enticing the senses like no other I’ve encountered.”
With a bubbling laugh, Pat Mudge says, “What started as a backyard hobby with a dozen or so plants has grown into a fulltime business of growing blueberries. I was totally overjoyed when I learned that blueberries would and could be grown in Florida because I’ve always loved ‘em.”

The proof is in the rows and rows of blueberry plants heavy with ripening fruit in the southwest quadrant of Glades County on CR 720, Loblolly Bay Road which “usta” be known as Bee Branch Road. Presently Mudge Ranch has 1700 plants in pots (covering an acre) and they have over five thousand growing in the ground which will produce next year.

And there’s another blueberry operation not exactly within a stone’s throw of the Mudge Ranch but only a few miles distant. This is Bee Branch Blueberries that presently has 14 acres in production and another ten acres that’s been recently planted or is in stages of preparation for planting.
Bee Branch Blueberries is owned and operated by Tom Cobb and his brother, Lee, who is the Operations Manager. All their berries are grown in the ground.

Pat Mudge: “We started with a dozen plants which quickly grew to 300 then 500.... and on and up from there. Except for a couple rows that Tim is experimenting with on berms, we grow our plants in big plastic pots.” And then she explains, “The pots, the containers, help conserve water and fertilizer. And it’s easier to pick the fruit standing up. Of course, however, on the lowest branches the picker must bend over to pick the berries.”

Mechanical harvesters are not used in the blueberry operation.

The Mudges grow a half dozen or so varieties, some grow larger than others (both plants and fruit) and some are sweeter than others but all their blueberries are first class. Clean, firm, juicy and free of the little stems that often require meticulous hand handling to rid the fruit of these annoying little connectors to the plants. And many of the berries will measure a half inch across.

The pickers work their way through the numbered rows, then the flats are quickly transported to the cooling shed where they are placed in plastic clam shells, weighed, then kept in coolers until time for shipment. All the Mudge’s blueberries are presold to Southern Specialties, a distributor on the east coast. The berries are taken to Bee Branch Blueberries from which point Southern Specialties picks up the berries for both operations.

Neither the Mudge or Bee Brand operation sell to the public direct from their fields. Pat says, “Unfortunately, we do not have facilities to sell direct to the public.”
For a goodly portion of the year blueberries are a high maintenance crop.

Happy with her infectious smile, Pat Mudge says, “Blueberries must be “awakened” in January or right after Christmas which means that’s when we start watering, fertilizing, spraying... generally doing everything they need. Then there’s nothing else in our lives from January through June....watering, weeding, fertilizing, picking and packing and of course anxiously watching all the time for foliage to appear, because whether or not we have a heavy crop or a light one, depends upon how much or how little foliage the plant produces. Of course, the plants must have adequate water as well as fertilizer. Here,” she explains, waving her arms to show the area, “it really doesn’t look it, but this land is low ground. And so when we get too much rain we have to pump the water to other areas to keep the pots from literally sitting in water.”

This may be a secret but somehow the Mudges’ business also includes both cattle and horses as well as these acres and acres of blueberries on their section of land. How they manage to do all this probably is a secret!

Pat Mudge seldom stops smiling, maybe especially when she says, “We, and Blue Branch Blueberries have the first fresh blueberries in the world which is of paramount importance. Our earliest ones are harvested from mid-March to the second week in April. Then of course the harvesting continues mostly to the end of May. We feel that our best variety is Emerald and it’s our biggest producer but we do have a number of others that produce very well as well as being quite tasty.”

And Tom Cobb says, “ ‘Prima Donna’ really lives up to its name. It’s one of the very best.”

Blueberries are mostly started from liners. The “liner” size plant when properly taken care of will start producing in two years. However, if it does not receive sufficient moisture/water its growth will be stunted and most likely the plant will die sooner than later.

Blueberries are native to North America and are classed as a fruit of the temperate zone, yet in recent years their growth has notably moved farther and farther south and is now considered a suitable fruit for agricultural zones 10 and to some degree zone 11. Blueberries are now also grown in Australia, New Zealand and South America, and are air-shipped as fresh produce to markets around the world.

Species adapted to the Southern U.S. climate are now collectively known as Southern Highbush Blueberries. The two major blueberry growers in Southwest Florida are Tim Mudge and Tom Cobb, both in western Glades County.
No doubt most any good cook or chef will have her or his own favorite recipe for blueberry desserts.
Pat Mudge declares she’s never found one better than the following which comes from the cookbook “Joy Of Blueberries.”

Fresh Blueberry Cobbler

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extractra
3/4 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350º degrees. Mix flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Add milk and butter; stir until combined. Spread batter evenly into a greased 8-inch square baking dish.

Top batter evenly with blueberries. Sprinkle evenly with 1/3 cup sugar and drizzle with vanilla. Bake 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion near the center comes out clean. Serve warm with frozenyogurt. Makes 10 servings.

Note: A dollop of vanilla ice cream or Cool Whip can be used instead of the yogurt. And other fruits may be substituted in this recipe. In such cases sugar amount will probably need adjusting. Apples (sliced in small pieces), blackberries, cherries, peaches, apricots, and of course, guavas. Reserve juice and use slightly warmed just before serving.

Blueberry Events:

Wellborn Blueberry Festival - June 5 & 6, 2009 - WellbornCommunityAssociation.com

Henscratch Farms Blueberries & Bluegrass - May 16, 2009 - henscratchfarms.com