Georgia Magazine - June 2010 - (Page 35)

More online! For June gardening tips, see page 35A of the digital edition at www.georgiamagazine.org! ters Diane, 23, Janie, 21, AnnNell, 18, and Marian, 16, pitch in on the sorting line and wherever else they are needed. “They’ve worked their tails off here every summer,” Linda says. “But we have a blast.” Many of the farmhands who join them for the long, hard days during harvest have been coming back for so many years, they’re part of the family as well, the Bynes say. for 2010 is blueberry-banana sundae syrup. That kind of thing is what distinguished Dick to win the ABAC Alumni Association’s 2009 Master Farmer award, says Keith Barber, ABAC vice president of external affairs and advancement. “He has transformed his traditional agricultural roots as farming has progressed.” Dick’s intuitive adaptability embodies the Jeffersonian ideal of ABAC’s agriculture-based, liberal arts education, Barber says. Dick plans to double the size of the farm in the near future and is exploring the addition of later-maturing varieties to extend the harvest season. “I love my farming life,” says Linda, who grew up on a dairy farm. “I think it makes our family close.” She and Dick both say they hope to hand down a successful blueberry enterprise to their children—but they don’t want to pressure them. “I really would like the girls to come back and take this over,” Dick admits. Adds Linda, “That would be our dream. But they need to have some adventures first.” Freelance writer Deborah Geering lives and gardens in Decatur. The Byne blueberry line In 2002, the Bynes launched a new enterprise: blueberry specialty products. Starting with jam, jelly and a blueberry vinaigrette salad dressing, the family eventually expanded the product line to include blueberry blossom honey, blueberry butter and blueberry chow chow. Byne Farms’ blueberry salsa won a 2007 Flavor of Georgia award. New Your own blueberry farm Want to plant your own blueberry bushes? Blueberries are well suited to Georgia’s climate but have some special needs—most notably an acidic soil. Here are some tips from organic blueberry farmer Dick Byne. Get a soil sample test. For just a few dollars, your county’s cooperative extension service can provide a detailed analysis of your soil. For more information, visit www.caes.uga.edu/ex tension or call (800) ASK-UGA1 [2758421]. Amend the soil with lots of organic matter.“The more organic matter you have, the more the soil holds nutrients, and the more it holds water,” Dick says. Like most crops, blueberries like lots of water but good drainage, he adds. “They like water, but they don’t like their feet wet.” For best results, plant blueberries after the first frost.You can plant them in the spring and summer, too, he notes, but they need plenty of water. Feed the plants in the spring with an organic fertilizer designed for acid-loving plants such as azaleas. Pick off the blooms for at least the first year—and preferably the first two. Yes, it’s hard to sacrifice those berries, but this practice helps the plants establish a healthy root system. “By the third year, you’ll be glad you did,” Byne says. • • • © DAVID STEMBRIDGE—GREENPEAS PRODUCTIONS • • Linda, left, and Dick, pose with daughters, from left, Janie, Diane, AnnNell and Marian. June 2010 www.georgiamagazine.org 35 http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.caes.uga.edu/extension http://www.caes.uga.edu/extension http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - June 2010

Georgia Magazine - June 2010
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar
Currents
Special Energy Report
Winning Reader Stories
Honorable Mentions: More Vacation Stories
Georgia on a Budget
Around Georgia
My Georgia
Georgia Gardens
Gardening Tips
Georgia Cooks
Cookbook of the Month
Snapshot

Georgia Magazine - June 2010