The business of “pick your own” blueberries has been growing in the area for many years. This plant, the highbush blueberry, is quite hardy, prefers acid soils, tolerates the many foggy days and is quite resistant to the insects and fungus that inhabit this region.
Two farms, at opposite ends of the spectrum of size and production, are Friendly Goat Farm in Renick area and the new Robin’s Nest Farm in Williamsburg.
Growing the same crop would make these two farms alike in some ways, but there are other aspects of commercial fruit production where they are headed down different roads — or branches as the case may be.
Robins Nest Farm is relatively new on the scene. They could be called the unexpected blueberry farmer because they moved to this area from central Virginia to retire, to take things easy, and just enjoy the economic lifestyle that West Virginia offers retired military families.
Owner Robin Blough and her husband James purchased their Greenbrier Valley property in 2016. It took close to two years before they completely moved in and started to clear the property around their home in Williamsburg.
They started close to the house and as they worked out into the field behind the house, they realized there might be a “lost blueberry crop” in that field.
With the help of their new neighbors, they began to piece together an idea of what may have happened out back.
The neighbors reported that the previous owner had planted dozens of blueberry bushes and was having problems with both human and deer predation, so he had chopped to the ground all the blueberry bushes that were not close to the house.
But the roots were still alive, and the plants struggled to recover, while Autumn Olive and other invasives began to cover the field.
Once the Bloughs became certain there were intended rows of planted blueberries, they paced off the space, fenced it in, and diligently installed bird netting over the entire crop.
Now, nurtured by frequent mowing and protection from deer, the shrubs grew and grew and began to reward the new property owner with a bounty they never expected to have.
Robin Blough admits, “I never had picked blueberries before, and honestly, I wasn’t a blueberry eater either. I was just not a fan.”
However, she has however taken her responsibility for this gift from her new property by using her culinary skills to create and promote the luscious blueberry in all its glory by opening up Robins Nest Farm to the public.
“The berries are as big as my thumb!” she says, stating she has made jams, jellies, breads and sweet deserts that she gladly shares with the occasional customer.
“We are still picking a few in our reserve batch of later producers, but the season got an early start this year and it is winding down now,” she says.
The Friendly Goat Farm is another area blueberry picking adventure located just outside Renick, off Brownstown Road on Julia Lane.
Herb Ley and his wife Rene moved to the area from Rochester, N.Y., and constructed their home on the second story of a barn, using a construction crew from their previous state.
Herb Ley’s business was almost entirely online, so they decided they could live wherever they wanted and chose this area because of its centralized location between the homes of their children and grandchildren who had scattered up and down the east coast.
With a plan to become a pick-your own fruit farm, and Ley set to task to plant 3,000 blueberry bushes in a six-acre field.
“Fencing that with seven-foot-tall deer fence was a huge undertaking,” says Ley.
He says thinks the occasional fleet-footed creature may clear the fence, but not the numbers like what might have been before it was fenced.
“Our business plan was very clear when we started out. We want to create family memories, give great quality product at an affordable price, and locally provide income for those needing work.”
The first part of his plan is in full operation, as three of his eight grandchildren are visiting this month, making those precious family memories on the farm.
“The season started early this year, by nearly two weeks,” says Ley. “We have blueberry varieties that extend the season, so we may have picking until the end of July, it’s all up to the weather.”
The plant varieties for highbush blueberry have three categories: early, mid-season, and late. To have a substantial harvest the plants must be more than two varieties and must cross pollinate, and to do that they need to bloom at the same time.
The season for picking can this way stretch to 45 days or more. Early can cross with mid, and mid with late, but the early versus late season ones never bloom or present fruit at the same time.
The variety of blueberries at Friendly Goat Farm are Dukes (early), then Top Shelf (mid) and two late types called Blue Ray and Chandler. All of these plant varieties produce huge fruits, just what people are looking for.
“The first year we expected, and hoped for, about 50 customers. We got 400!” says Ley.
There are also berries for sale that the Leys have picked for you.
“But, you have to do your own goat petting!” says Ley.
The on-site goat herd is led by farm mascot Coconut and has grown as well, to about 11 members this year.
The goats’ space is a 4-foot-tall, fenced area with what appears to be children’s playground equipment in the center of it for the goats to climb and jump like goats tend to do.
The future for the Friendly Goat Farm is looking at expanding the selection of fruits to mayble include berries of other types. Current feedback from Facebook really drives the service’s element.
The farm is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. every day except Wednesday and Sunday. Blueberry pickers can also find homemade gifts, gnat spray, hand sanitizer, and goat feed. There are prizes for the smallest children that attend, convenient parking and a sitting area in the shade.
A handicap accessible section is currently under construction. A concrete pad was installed for this year and blueberry bushes for accessible picking are being planted around it this summer. It will take a few years for them to really get mature, but the picking experience will be a sought after one for families with handicap or wheelchair-bound members.
The Greenbrier Valley has many blueberry farms and going as a family to pick can be a great outing. You may find that it rains often during blueberry season. Just consider it the baptism of the blueberry, take your raincoat and pick to your hearts content.
