Blueberry season opens with ripe farm fresh and pick your own blueberries at Liberty Ridge Farm

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Capital Region Blueberries at Liberty Ridge Farm

SCHAGHTICOKE, NY (07/11/2012)(readMedia)-- Liberty Ridge Farm opens their farm market season with fresh picked and pick your own blueberries.

Liberty Ridge Farm located in Schaghticoke, NY is a farm not far from anywhere in the Capital Region. When looking for a great summertime activity to do with friends or family, come to the farm where the blueberries are ripe for the picking! Pick your own blueberries involve picking farm fresh blueberries from the bush, berries are typically picked berry by berry or sometimes by the handful from clusters or groups of berries on rows of bushes. Liberty Ridge Farm is open for blueberry picking Monday – Sunday 9 AM to 5 PM, they offer fresh picked or you pick blueberries at $2.25 per pound. The farm encourages families to bring their own containers but also supplies containers to pick into and containers to take your berries home. Visiting the farm offers great ways to eat healthy while learning valuable lessons about locally grown foods.

Blueberries are easy to come by in the Capital Region of NY, just 20 Minutes from Saratoga; the rows of blueberry bushes are plentiful. The Blueberry picking season starts the beginning of July and runs through August when you pick raspberry picking begins. The ever bearing "Fall" Raspberry season starts mid August and goes until the first killing frost. Liberty Ridge Farm is one of many farms in the US who believe in local community, farm fresh growing and providing fun valuable agricultural lessons; this has become a staple of what the farm represents. Liberty Ridge Farm has seen an interesting trend in blueberry popularity as it has had a dramatic effect on increased consumption within the U.S. since 1997. The average U.S. adult consumption has grown from just under 13 ounces of blueberries that were consumed per year by an adult to nearly double that amount to 22 ounces consumed per adult per year. This upward trend of blueberry consumption within the U.S. has led to cultivation of blueberries on almost 100,000 acres of land in the U.S., and has moved blueberries to second place as the most commonly eaten berry in the U.S. (second only to the strawberry).

Blueberry producers typically grow high-bush blueberries which are what you will find at Liberty Ridge Farm; this type of blueberry bush reaches five to six feet in height and can produce up to 15 pounds of fruit. The blueberries typically ripen in early July but this year the farm is seeing an early ripening because of the warm spring. Liberty Ridge Farm blueberries are local, delicious, and considered by many families to be the ultimate snack berry and a nutritious part of their diet. The fruit is very high in antioxidant content (many dark berries are), and these antioxidants assist the body in combating such ailments as diabetes, high cholesterol, Alzheimer disease, glaucoma, cataracts, and certain cancers. It is even thought that blueberries help reduce the risk of urinary tract infections, and can help combat the effects of aging.

"We planted our blueberry bushes about 8 years ago and we have been so proud of the results. The blueberries are an important source for our family's diet and many families within the community", said Cynthia Gifford, Owner of Liberty Ridge Farm. "In 2011 we had some bad luck and had our cropped completely wiped out within 2 weeks by a flock of blueberry loving birds, but this year we are prepared for those blueberry predators with our new bird defenses that ring out predator birds chirps to scare off the blueberry thieves. We are prepared to have a great crop for the 2012 blueberry harvest and we cherish our rows of blueberries, the nations 2nd loved berry. Now begins our run to harvest when the blueberry season passes, raspberries will begin and they will ripen towards the end of July. We love to share our farm and create family memories in the summer months while promoting local grown farm fresh blueberries and raspberries."

Liberty Ridge Farm is the Northeast's premier agri-tourism destination. Now in their 13th Season, the Farm has expanded, now offering a variation of events that encompass all four seasons. Liberty Ridge Farm has entertained families for 12 years, coming up with new and exciting corn maze designs that continue to delight hearts and minds. From culinary excellence to rustic charm Liberty Ridge Farm is available for fund-raising, corporate events, social gatherings, company picnics, school educational field trips, weddings, sweet sixteen parties and more. Come September the farm hosts its annual Fall Festival featuring the largest and most original cornfield maze in the Albany Capital District and a Barnyard of Adventure. The fall agri-tourism season runs from September 22nd to November 4th offering the public, groups and school fieldtrips a chance to get lost in the corn field maze and share in over 20 farm inspired activities that make for a full day of adventure. Liberty Ridge Farm, the Capital Regions Hidden Treasure that offers food, fun and outdoor adventure entertainment all located in one place.

Liberty Ridge Farm, 29 Bevis Road, Schaghticoke, NY.

visit http://www.LibertyRidgeFarmNY.com or call 518-664-1515 .

www.facebook.com/libertyridgefarm

www.twitter.com/libertyridge

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