Blueberries: HEALTH HALO

Fingers flying, the pickers strip the last of this year's blueberries from bushes that are already flaming red from the turn of the season. And what a doozy it's been: another record-breaker for blueberries. State agricultural statistics show what any produce buyer could tell you: There's no end in sight to the blueberry boom. The humble blueberry has soared in a decade from relative obscurity to stardom, becoming the state's second-mostvaluable
crop per harvested acre last year after cherries.

"They sell like crazy," said Jim Sinegal, president and CEO of Costco, which struggles to keep blueberries in stock. "We buy them from every part ofthe country and every part of the world, and we can't get enough of them. They would easily be the biggest item in our produce department if we had the ability to get what we need."

The reason? "We call it the health halo," said Dave Brazelton of Fallcreek Farm and Nursery in Lowell, Ore., the world's largest blueberry nursery, where the wait can be up to 18 months for new plantings of the hottest varieties. Brazelton has watched blueberries boom as reports of the berry's health benefits have multiplied. From improving urinary-tract health to packing a powerful punch of antioxidants, blueberries are often touted as a super-food.

So growers are enjoying both rising production and prices, a double marvel that in agriculture is like defying the law of gravity. And no wonder, says Chris Martin, owner of Gourmet Trading in Los Angeles, one of the top blueberry marketers in the U.S. Berries ship well by air, sea and land. They are great fresh or frozen. They're good for everything from sauces to baking to snacking straight from the basket. And the capper: Kids like them! Also, blueberries have the boomers on their side. "Many people are looking for healthier things to eat, and I don't think that is going to go away anytime soon," Sinegal said.

Exerpt from Lynda V. Mapes, Seattle Times