Meet the Family Who Became Blueberry Farmers Because of a Sunset
The story of Fields Fields blueberry farm began when Eliot Field fell in love with...a field.
“My dad was driving home, searching for a good view of the sunset,” says Jesse Field, the farm’s current owner with his wife, Ashley. “He came across this field in Dresden, Maine, and loved it so much, he made an offer. Only after he bought it did he realize it included 10 acres of wild blueberries.”
Eliot hired a manager to oversee the crop, but, in 1997, Jesse, just out of college, elected to tend them himself—and to take the process organic.
He later met Ashley, and she helped them move from a wholesale business to selling directly to consumers, in person and through their online store.
Starting with frozen berries, they quickly branched out into a variety of wild blueberry products, including chips, leaf tea, and a frozen heat-and-serve crisp that will soon be sold in supermarkets.
But the Fields family, pictured above with kids Alakai (now 5) and Stella (now 17), see themselves less as farmers and more as stewards of wild land.
“The plants are 10,000 years old, and they grow where they want,” says Ashley. “We’re just trying to make sure they have what they need.”
The Fields
Wild blueberry bushes grow low to the ground. To keep it organic, the Fields family has to weed largely by hand. “Birch trees are constantly trying to propagate in the field, as well as bunchgrass and sweet ferns,” says Jesse.
The Equipment
It’s not easy to harvest the delicate berries. In rocky areas, it must be done by hand using a blueberry rake (pictured, above). In flatter areas, a walk-behind picker can be used. Full crates are loaded onto a tractor and taken to be sorted, cleaned, and flash-frozen.
The Pollinators
The Fields dedicate a portion of their land to native pollinators. “Native bumblebees only have to pass a blossom, and the frequency of their buzz causes pollen to fall out of the bloom,” says Ashley. To supplement, she also keeps honeybees and sells the raw honey.
The Produce
Wild berries come with leaves, sticks, and other unwanted items. Once the berries are picked, they’re “winnowed” by machine. “Some might be squished, some might not be ripe,” says Ashley. “These machines will sort them by quality, as well as remove all the debris.”
Wild vs. Cultivated—So What’s the Difference?
Blueberries, whether cultivated or wild, are native to the United States. The ones you’re most likely familiar with—those found at grocery stores and farmers’ markets—are cultivated and typically come from “highbush” plants that are easy to grow and get roughly 4 to 6 feet tall (although some can grow as high as 10 feet!).
By contrast, wild blueberries come from “lowbush” plants that are no more than 24 inches tall. They like to grow on high, hilly areas and in fields, almost exclusively in Maine and parts of Canada. Wild berries tend to be much smaller, packing in a more intense flavor, which is why they’re so highly prized. Put some in your pancakes, smoothies, or cobblers, and you’ll notice the difference!
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