Painting Polk County Blue
Bartow, Florida. We had to look it up on the map (it's close to Winter Haven and Lakeland in Polk County). We imagine that area as a large expanse of citrus groves, but according to a recent Florida Trend piece, blueberries are taking over.
Connecticut investor Stan Phelps is spending millions to convert some of the 18,000 acres of reclaimed phosphate mines he’s bought in and around Bartow to create a blueberry operation. In March, the Wall Street veteran opened a 103,000-sq.-ft. berry packing and distribution center in Bartow. During its first harvest season this spring, the Clear Springs Packing House and Distribution Center processed and packed 1.2 million pounds of blueberries — a quarter of the state’s overall production — for 33 growers. Clear Springs also is expanding its blueberry farm from 150 acres to 1,000.
1.2 million pounds in the first year? Not too shabby. We didn't think blueberries could withstand the heat of a Florida summer — they are popular in Maine, after all — but we learned that blueberries have been grown in north-central and north Florida for quite some time. Now, they're just ramping up production. Between hurricanes and the recent citrus canker outbreak, I imagine blueberries might look appealing to weary citrus growers. And there's a market for them too — Florida blueberries ripen during March, April and May, just after the Chilean imports stop coming and just before blueberries from northern states.
Blueberry fields forever [Florida Trend]
Florida's Commercial Blueberry Industry [University of Florida IFAS Extension]
Photo: Florida Trend
