Blueberries with real, full flavour
Dartmoor Blueberries produce seventeen different varieties of blueberries with production stretching from early summer to late summer.
‘We want consumers to taste the full flavour of all the different varieties at a sensible price’
The sale of blueberries in the UK is £100m of which £99m is imported from as far away as Chile. ‘Let’s be honest,’ says producer Robin, ’Farmers have a real opportunity to provide English consumers with an excellent home grown product at competitive prices and with no air freight miles.’
Farming the land organically and naturally with the assistance of the Soil Association has resulted in a near perfect soil with an exceptionally low pH level that gives Dartmoor blueberries a totally natural taste.
Each blueberry plant is additionally nourished by the farm’s own highland natural spring water that is filtered down from Hunter’s Tor where the remains of an Iron Aged Fort can still be seen. It is not surprising therefore that Blueberries ancient cousin the Dartmoor bilberry has grown successfully in the region for thousands of years.
‘The method of force-feeding thousands of one variety in pots in enclosed poly tunnels will be dead industry in less than ten years. English consumers are already becoming more discerning and choosing organic berries over sprayed potted berries fed with mains water.’
Dartmoor Blueberries enjoy producing a great organic product that sells well. ‘Good value is not synonymous with cheap,’ says Robin, ‘Why buy a lousy beef burger with no beef and a fruit juice with only sugar and fruit flavouring when for a few pence more you can buy real local beef and fruit.’
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