Green Daily

Down the road several miles from our home, lives a farmer who grows blueberries. On an early summer morning each year before the heat of the sun becomes too intense, my son and I visit the farm to pick blueberries. When done, we will have filled our buckets with enough blueberries to last our family until the following summer.

Environmentally, our blueberries travel two miles from field to table. As the family cook, I am fond of these locally-grown super food berries for their antioxidant cancer prevention properties. It is amazing how much money I save compared to what the grocery store charges for blueberries. I have some numbers -- let's take a look.

We are charged 75 cents a pound for the blueberries we pick from the farmer's blueberry bushes. Typically, the store price for six ounces of blueberries is $2.50.

• 60 pounds at 75 cents = $45 dollars
• 60 pounds at $2.50 per six ounces = $393.60

Savings = Almost $350 dollars for a year's supply of local fresh off the bush superfood blueberries.

Quick blueberry harvesting tips: Look under the bushes where the bounty of berries will be greatest. To maximize the amount of blueberries picked in the least amount of time, hold a clump of blueberries loosely in the palm of your hand and starting at the top work down, using your thumb to gently pop the berries into the bucket.

How to store blueberries: Without pre-washing the blueberries, I measure out two cups per gallon plastic ziplock bag. The ratio of blueberries to bag allows for a single layer of blueberries as I stack the plastic bags one on top of the other in the freezer. I am not certain the lifespan of a plastic bag, but I have been using the same bags for five years and they look to be in good shape for years to come. Before using, rinse frozen berries under cold water to clean.

How to use blueberries: We enjoy blueberries on pancakes, waffles, in crepes, in yogurt, blueberry banana smoothies, cereal topping, blueberry cobbler, blueberry pie, cake topping, blueberry muffins, homemade granola breakfast bars or simply as a snack. Pressed for time in the morning? Here is a healthy and quick breakfast on the go.

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

1 cup plain organic yogurt
1 banana
1 cup of blueberries
Ice cubes

Give the frozen blueberries a quick rinse under cold water. Add yogurt, peeled banana, blueberries, and a generous handful of ice cubes to blender. Honey can be added, but we find the banana and berries add enough sweetness.

For the best-ever blueberry pancakes: Pour the pancake batter into hot pan just as you would do if you were making a plain pancake. As the first side is browning, drop a handful of blueberries into the wet batter and then flip the pancake. By not adding blueberries to the batter beforehand, the batter will not turn purple and the berries will not break apart when mixing them into the batter.

To find local farms in your area, keep an eye out for road signs during the summer months. Many local farms will let you know where local produce can be harvested with handmade signs. Check your local newspaper, as they will periodically publish a list of farms and what is grown on each farm. Talk to your neighbors and coworkers. You can visit Local Harvest and search by zip code for farms and farmers markets in your area.