For the past two weeks I have been harvesting blueberries from the bush in my backyard.  I have waited a long time for this.  The blueberry bush is four years old and this is the first year that it has produced a bountiful harvest.  I generally eat a few as I pick them and save the rest.  I like them with vanilla yogurt, but they also occasionally find their way into a very decent blueberry crisp.

Related to cranberries, blueberries are known botanically as Vaccinium corymbosum.  They make first class garden ornamentals, with their pink spring flowers, pretty (and delicious) blue fruits and brightly colored autumn leaves.  An estate garden near my house has a double allee of blueberry bushes flanking a long expanse of lawn and admiring visitors are always surprised to find out what the bushes are.

 Acid soil and sunshine are best for optimum blueberry production and bird netting helps to ensure that you get to eat the fruits of your labors.  The bushes themselves are unfussy and easy to care for.  There are various blueberry varieties on the market.  The bush in my yard is similar to the 'Northland' variety, which is fairly compact.  When it is mature it will be about three feet tall and equally wide and could easily work in a container.  I am looking forward to the day when my blueberry yields enough fruit for a pie. 

Most of us will never be self-sufficient when it comes to food crops.  However, nothing beats the feeling of harvesting something that you have grown yourself.