At Tan Childs Blueberries, we use the healthest and safest approaches in producing our sweet tasting blueblerries. Our farm practices Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques taught by Cornell to minimize the need to spray pesticides. As long as our traps are clear of pests, we do not spray our crop. The opposite of IPM is to mass-produce blueberries. This requires regular applications of heavy duty pesticides that when applied, means the fruit cannot be eaten for 7 to 10 days. The spray we would use with IPM is so mild the fruit could be eaten the same day. Using IPM, we have gone as long as 7 years with no pests or pesticides!

We also use hardwood sawdust to naturally keep acidity at an optimal level. Leaf samples are sent to Cornell who analyzes them and reports what fertilizers (Iron, Potassium, Nitrogen, Trace Minerals, etc.) we need to retain in the soil for a perfect, tasty blueberry. We also irrigate the bushes, keep the fields well seeded and prune extensively each year. Besides "micro-managing" the field maintenance and upkeep, the blueberries we grow are so sweet because our soil is unique. Our hill top at 2250 ft. did not have the soil amalgamated by the glaciers and thus retained the naturally acidic and unique components that are like heaven on earth to blueberry bushes. Some folks in lowlands try to grow blueberries by chemically adjusting their soil to mimic the naturally unqiue soil compenents of Cooper Hill, but nature is tough to replicate!

To learn more about our farm and blueberry growing methods, stop in during our U-Pick hours!