Perfect nutrient dense blueberries integrating compost teas, minerals and biological soil management

Perfect nutrient dense blueberries integrating compost teas, minerals and biological soil management

Blueberry grower Bob Wilt found that the more efficiently he was able to get minerals into his berries, the higher the brix measurement went. Hence, he concentrated on doing that and still does to this day. And as the brix has gone up, so has the flavor.

“You’re aiming for a higher percent of dissolved solids in the plant—a higher percentage of complex carbohydrates, sugars and proteins,” says Dan Kittredge, executive director of the Real Food Campaign and an experienced organic farmer himself. “These are the elements that correlate directly with increased flavor, increased nutrition, increased shelf life, and increased pest and disease resistance.”

“The average brix measurement for fresh berries is generally between 10 and 12,” Bob explained. “Ours tend to begin around 15, but this last year we had one variety that was averaging around 16 and another variety called Jersey that had numbers between 19 and 21. It gave us an average of a 20 brix.”

To get the full story from Organic Connections Magazine click here:
http://organicconnectmag.com/wp/2010/09/farmer-bob-wilt-soil-biology-nutrition-and-taste

To find out more about Sunset Valley Organics and their amazingly tasty blueberries, visit their website at:
http://www.sunsetvalleyorganics.com:

To learn how to balance your soils visit the Real Food Campaign website:
http://realfoodcampaign.org/workshop-series-2010-2011