Wild blueberries are harvested
from late July to early September in Maine. Harvesting is still mainly
by hand rake- a close-tined special RAKE invented about 112 years ago by
a local Downeaster, Abijah Tabbutt and modified in minor variations since
then. The secretis
in the wielding of the rake - a special pushing and twisting motion of
the wrists designed to tease the ripe berries from their grasp of the vine
without crushing. Hand-raking is increasingly being replaced by mechanized
harvesting. Although the technology is getting very good, hand-raking will
always have its place - due in large part to the hilly and rocky terrain
that a lot of wild blueberry patches are found on.
Wild blueberries are harvested
from late July to early September in Maine. Harvesting is still mainly
by hand rake- a close-tined special RAKE invented about 112 years ago by
a local Downeaster, Abijah Tabbutt and modified in minor variations since
then. The secret
is
in the wielding of the rake - a special pushing and twisting motion of
the wrists designed to tease the ripe berries from their grasp of the vine
without crushing. Hand-raking is increasingly being replaced by mechanized
harvesting. Although the technology is getting very good, hand-raking will
always have its place - due in large part to the hilly and rocky terrain
that a lot of wild blueberry patches are found on.