Superfresh Growers® Details Upcoming Blueberry Season, Catherine Gipe-Stewart Comments
YAKIMA, WA - In California, the telltale signs of summer beckon me to the window, promising fresh air and even fresher produce opportunities. (Yes, I’m skipping ahead a few months, but let a girl dream of hot weather.) One of the ultimate categories during the summer months has to be blueberries, so I sat down with Catherine “Cat” Gipe-Stewart, Superfresh Growers® Communications Manager, to get some insight into the company’s upcoming season.
"Our blueberry season starts in June. So far, things are looking good, but it is too early to definitively tell,” remarked Cat. “Currently, half of our volume is organic, and we’re steadily increasing that to a higher ratio of organics. We are constantly developing innovative varieties to extend the season with high-quality, late season blueberries.”
As we move toward the beginning of Superfresh Growers' blueberry season, Cat let me know that one of its greatest differentiators is that it is one of the very few growers that still handpicks its berries to ensure high quality.
“We are quickly becoming a one-stop shop for summer fruit,” she noted. “We have organic and conventional blueberries, cherries, apricots, kiwi berries, and of course, apples and pears. We continue to be a fifth-generation, family-owned company. You can support your summer sales by sourcing domestic, Pacific Northwest grown produce year-round.”
Superfresh Growers has over 700 acres of blueberry fields in Roseburg, Oregon, which is nestled in the Umpqua River Valley—half of which is dedicated to cultivating organic blueberries. The grower takes great pride in how it grows its crop, ensuring that the land will be there for generations to come.
“We take care of the land and our people,” Cat expressed. “Our blueberry farm invests in local youth, providing promotional opportunities season after season. Many youth start in high school, coming back year after year through college, working their way up in management. It provides great learning and career opportunities for them. Our blueberry farm is also the largest employer in the Roseburg area.”
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