This year’s New Jersey blueberry season is shaping up to be a good one, according to Michael D’Ottavio, president of D’Ottavio Farms in Vineland, NJ.
Despite early May rain and cool weather, the company is still on track for a start date of June 14,” D’Ottavio told The Produce News. “With the help of hedge rows to limit damage from wind, and planting more habitat for bees to help with pollination, we expect to have a very good crop with nice size this season.”
In what he called “berry years,” D’Ottavio Farms is “a young farm, as our oldest bushes are only eight years old, and we continue to plant 30,000 new plants every year. Testing varieties new to the East Coast over the last eight seasons really taught us what works and what doesn’t.”
He concluded, “Our main focus is size and taste, along with shelf life, and I believe we found the right varieties to achieve this goal. All we can hope for is good demand, weather and a fair market for everyone.”
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