July is National Blueberry Month & The 37th annual Machias Wild Blueberry Festival

NATIONAL BLUEBERRY MONTH

Maine is the top producer of wild blueberries in the United States, harvesting some 74.6 million pounds last year!

It started in 1999 – with an official proclamation and everything! – July has been known and will be known as National Blueberry Month

July is a time for American flags, fireworks and barbecues. But while you and your family are gearing up for the Fourth of July weekend, take some time this month to enjoy one patriotic fruit--the blueberry.

Did you know that approximately 150 million, that is the total number of hot dogs that was supposedly eaten on the 4th of July.

Did you know that a single blueberry bush can produce up to 6000 blueberries a year?

Blueberries are full of antioxidants and studies have shown that they are higher than most other fruits and vegetables and it reduces the risk of certain cancers and heart disease.. Antioxidants are important in disease prevention they protect and repair cells from damage caused by free radicals, it also strengthens your immune system and help to prevent chronic diseases like cancer.  It also lowers your blood pressure, it helps with your memory also.  It also has high fiber and helps to regulate your blood sugar and has the good carbohydrates, which help you absorb the protein that assists with building "muscle."

Did you know that the Native Americans used the fruit, leaves and the roots of the plant to treat coughs, to flavor soups and to dye cloth and also, the American Indians picked and sun-dried the berries, and even used them to preserve their deer meat.

The low-bush blueberries, which stand less than a foot high, thrive in the sandy, high-acid soil found in Washington County, Maine.  Machias, ME is located in Washington County, many people say that Machias has become the unofficial Wild Blueberry Capital of the World.

Since I brought up Machias, Maine, keep in mind that every year for 36 years there is a festival in Machias, Me.   The festival celebrates the harvest of the regions most important crop, the low-bush wild blueberries. Events are shaping up for the 37th annual Wild Blueberry Festival, held each summer in Machias. Cooking contests, hundreds of craft vendors, concerts and other events bring thousands to Machias on August 18th & 19th.  This year to mention a few of the festival activities there will be crafters and vendors, food, a children's parade, a "homegrown musical," a road race, and a blueberry pie-eating contest, those are some of the highlights of the weekend. For schedules, vendor/crafter applications, and more information, go to www.machiasblueberry.com.  

The 37th annual Machias Wild Blueberry Festival, will be held on August 18-19, 2012. Crafts, musical entertainment, road race, pie-eating contest, food, kids' activities, and more!

To buy tickets online, go to www.machiasblueberry.com. Tickets also are available between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. weekdays at the church.