Mastering the Blåbärplockar for Blueberry Harvests

If you've ever wandered through the Swedish countryside, you'll have noticed the land teems with blueberries - over 10% of the entire country, in fact. In such abundance, picking by hand can be time-consuming and perhaps even unnecessary. That's where our trusty 'Blåbärplockar,' the traditional Swedish berry picker, comes into play.

The Blåbärplockar, a small rake-like tool with a container, is designed to strip off the berries while letting the leaves pass through. This simple device transforms the arduous task of hand-picking into an efficient operation. You could find yourself with kilos of berries in an hour, perfect when you have eager little hands like our Bear, who is more interested in devouring his findings on the spot than contributing to the home harvest.

It's worth noting that blueberries typically thrive in the shade. However, on some hillsides, we've found them happily basking in the partial shade provided by low-growing shrubs. These are the early risers of the blueberry world - their fruits maturing earlier in the season. So, a good rule of thumb when foraging - check the sun-dappled slopes first!

That said, wielding the berry picker requires a touch of care. In our haste to gather the blue bounty, we might collect more than we bargained for. Close to the blueberries, we often find black crowberries, various bilberries, and other small fruits. Thus, arriving home often means another round of sorting - picking out the unwanted guests from our blueberry haul.

Blueberries!

Bilberries and blueberries growing side by side

Black crowberries sometimes find their way into the berryhaul!

Don't fret, though - there are efficient ways to separate the chaff from the wheat. One method involves submerging your berries in water. The sugar-rich, mature blueberries should sink, allowing the rest to float for easy removal. This isn't foolproof, particularly if you have a mix of ripeness, but it does provide a handy first-pass sorting method…
Moreover, after an eventful day outdoors, there's something profoundly comforting about gathering around the family table. In the warm glow of our cottage, we sort through the day's harvest, chatting about this and that, plucking out the occasional leaf or twig from the bounty. It's an activity that feels as timeless as the woods surrounding us, creating beautiful memories steeped in the earthy scent of our wild pickings.