Harvest time for blueberries starts in early June and continues through early August. This is probably the reason why July has been named National Blueberry Month. Blueberries are readily available all across the U.S. during this month, so everyone is encouraged to add some blueberries to their diet or to try some blueberry-infused dishes.

We have seen people make all kinds of different recipes with blueberries, and these include not just the usual staples like blueberry muffins or pancakes but also banana and blueberry bread, blueberry and almond shortcake, ice cream with balsamic blueberries, and blueberry tarts.

And let’s not forget just how excellent smoothies and yogurt taste when blueberries are mixed in. All good reasons for everyone to observe this month and enjoy some blueberries.

The History of National Blueberry Month

Blueberries are native to North America and have been enjoyed for over 13,000 years. Native Americans used them for their health benefits and as a natural flavoring. Saskatoon berries were also occasionally used to make pemmican—dried bison that’s been pounded into a coarse powder and mixed with fruits, currants, melted fat, and chokeberries.

Pemmican was used as a food that would provide energy and wouldn’t decompose during long trips. Of course, it would be a while before National Blueberry Month was created. That wouldn’t happen until the 1990s when the North American Blueberry Council invented the month.

However, it would still take until 2003 for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to officially recognize July as this month. Since then, it’s been celebrated every year with events and fairs all across the U.S.

Fun Facts About Blueberries

Since this month is all about blueberries, we would be remiss not to give at least a few facts about blueberries that our readers can really bite into. So without further ado, we’ve listed some of the blueberry facts that we like the most.

• Blueberries are ranked #1 out of all fruits and vegetables for their antioxidant qualities.
• Blueberries were one of the first native fruits to be commercially available in the U.S.
• One blueberry bush can produce over 6,000 blueberries in a single year.

Observing National Blueberry Month

Anyone who wants to know how to celebrate this month can simply think of one word: blueberries! Yes, this is the month when people are going to want to take the time to use blueberries more often, not only for desserts but also for their main meals. A quick look online will reveal about a hundred blueberry recipes, so people should choose the recipes that they like the best.