Linneus farm grows ‘superfood’

By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
    The good news for blueberry lovers is that, in addition to being delicious, WebMD lauds the deep-hued  fruit as an “antioxidant superfood.” Antioxidants have properties to help neutralize free radicals — unstable molecules linked to a number of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease and age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
BERRY, BERRY GOOD — Isaac Desrosiers, left, and brother Amile searched for any remaining blueberries at their parents’ Sunnyside Farm in Linneus last year. Their father, Joseph, said when the berries were ripe they were so big, “they looked like clumps of grapes.”
    Locally, Clare Desrosiers and husband Joseph grow blueberries at their Sunnyside Farm in Linneus along with naturally raised chickens and eggs they sell as part of their overall operation. “We started growing blueberries because they are my husband’s favorite food and there weren’t a lot of people around here growing blueberries,” said Clare Desrosiers.
    The Desrosiers have about 1,200 bushes which peak around the third week in July where customers can pick their own. Last year the bushes were picked clean. At that time, Joseph Desrosiers said the blueberries  were so big “they looked like clumps of grapes.” “Customers really enjoy the experience of coming to pick their own berries and are surprised at how big and sweet they are,” said Clare Desrosiers.
    Wild blueberries are smaller and according to a feature in the current issue of Health Magazine, the wild variety is high on a list of “America’s Healthiest Superfoods for Women.” As one of Maine’s premier crops, blueberries are something like Olympic athletes in the food world for potential health benefits. And, Maine is the worldwide leader in blueberry production.
    Kate Geagan, author of “Go Green Get Lean,” was quoted in the article on superfoods saying “if berries are nutritional treasures, wild blueberries are the crown jewels … truly one of nature’s ultimate anti-aging foods.” Geagan was also quoted on a controlled study: “When scientists at Cornell University came up with a new way of testing the antioxidant activity in foods, wild blueberries scored the highest. They have compounds called anthocyanins, one of the most powerful forms of antioxidants. Another plus: at only 80 calories a cup, you can eat them without guilt. How much you need: Aim for a half-cup to one cup of any kind of berries a day, but mix in wild blueberries as much as possible. Many supermarkets carry them frozen.”
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
MMM, GOOD — Little Mireille Desrosiers found a delicious, ripe blueberry while her brothers, Isaac and Amile, along with their father Joseph surveyed the field.
    If wild blueberries are hard to find even after warmer weather rolls around, cultivated ones like those at  Sunnyside Farm still pack a nutritional punch as an excellent source of vitamin C, manganese, daily fiber and antioxidants.
    Although it’s cold and the groundhog says more winter is ahead, frozen blueberries in the store are available with nearly equal nutritional benefits that can be part of a culinary repertoire that includes sauces, breads, muffins, pies, desserts and fruit salads.