Blueberry Hill Harrietta, Mi

08/03/2026

What a wonderfully strange day for the Blueberry Festival yesterday. In town at the festival, we kept hoping it wouldn't rain, but it did. Mostly gentle, sometimes a bit harder, off & on, but no one seemed to care. Lots of umbrellas, rain jackets and even colorful rain boots on the kids proved everyone came prepared. Lots of fresh blueberries, pancakes, pies, sundaes, (2 together to make pie a la mode!) and even blueberry tea was consumed and taken home.
Just a few pix - Annika, Pat and John, did a very brisk business with t-shirts and fresh blueberries. The pie eating contest had Bob Morisette judging again for his 18th year(?). Friend, Elsa, and her sisters really are enjoying themselves as much as they appear to be when walking the parade route as blueberries. Elsa's looking kinda tiny next to the Harrietta Village fireman and hose. Rosemary and Bev sold Amish-made handheld pies (blueberries of course); many to past attendees who came looking for them specifically. 14 pails of berries were picked by volunteers on Thursday to sell fresh at the festival!

08/02/2026

From helping out at the Festival in town on Saturday, to helping Larry at the Hill later in the afternoon, amazed to see people disregarding the rain and enjoying themselves. Saturday was one of our busier Festival days. Many first-time visitors, who heard about it on 7&4, 9&10, Cadillac News, Northern Express, from Festival Social Media wiz Serena Lloyd and of course sharing from you all!
When I asked this first group how to identify them for the photo, they came up with "The #16 Slagle Schoolhouse" group; mostly long -time friends from southern MI - Newport, Jackson, and White Pigeon. Everyone picked over 6 #, a couple picked 7+ # pails! The Bender family from Kingsley didn't bring the whole family but compensated by picking their own 6+ # pails. Michaela said son, Wyatt, wasn't pleased with having Mom just buy blueberries, he wanted to pick his own. Sister Rebal joined the photo. The Larusson's from Iceland came to visit family in Cadillac. They're enjoying their stay especially our coastal towns on Lake Michigan. Of course, I mentioned reading "HOW ICELAND CHANGED THE WORLD: The big history of a small island" by Egill Bjarnason. The rest of the Larusson family from Chicago left a bit later; the two girls couldn't get enough of picking their own berries.
The Schieds are from Paris (MI). My device kept wanting to self-correct to schedule, so not sure if I'm spelling correctly. We got so busy for a bit I forgot to ask this last couple their names and home (or maybe I did and forgot to note it). It was a busy day; we truly appreciate your business and your kind words about our berries and farm!

08/01/2026

Another busy day today, much cooler with the cloud cover than yesterday. I forgot my cell/camera and ended up with interesting conversations instead; comparing notes about the Paradise (MI) Blueberry Festival and the Cranberry Festival in Eagle River, WI. Today's pix are all from long-time customers. The VanHaitsma family from Falmouth & Albion meet up here annually and made sure we were open before they set this year's date. Thanks for making us part of your family activities! (Congrats Kaitlyn on receiving your M.A. in Mathematics!). The Kitson family, from Leroy, may have left mom and dad at home, to allow quality time with grandparents and their grandchildren. Lots of smiles. Snow and mom Priscilla from Cross Village. Priscilla thinks she has picked with us from year one (1989), when she was a ski instructor at Caberfae. John came with his wife Dawn (who preferred not to be in the photo) from Brethren. He thought they have been picking for 10-15 years, long before their move up north. The Hays family from Midland brought their 50's era bright yellow Dodge pickup truck - very handsome! It will be on display in the parade at the BB Festival tomorrow, carrying on a tradition that Grandpa started.

07/31/2026

LOTS of berries went out the gate yesterday, but there are tons (literally) more out there, waiting to be picked. Supposed to be a beautiful day! On Thursday, we welcomed the Knoll family from Holland; the Kissinger/Laurie/Soper family from Cadillac, Leroy, Reed City; Dustin from Yuma; the Dzuba family from Harrietta, Sacramento; Garthe family from Harrietta, Carrolton; Larry from Cadillac, Sue from Traverse City; and Laura and Earl from Manton. We also had Festival volunteers who picked 100 # of berries to sell at the Festival tomorrow, $2/cup, $10/quart bag.

07/29/2026

Blueberry Festival update - I delivered dozens of cookbooks, 3-4 boxes of miscellaneous kitchen stuff, CDs, framed prints, and table, to the Harrietta United Methodist Church (HUMC) yesterday. Added to an overflow of donations already there (including 2 copiers still in their boxes). Generous donations will make for an amazing rummage sale on Friday and Saturday 9a-3pm. Pricing all by donation. And a Bake Sale! pic from 2024
St. Edward's (across from the Fire Hall) has a QUILT raffle; ticket baskets; plus walking sticks, plants, Harrietta embroidered towels for sale starting early at 8am to attract the pancake breakfasters

07/29/2026

Picking should be good this weekend - Thursday, Friday Saturday 9am-9pm. We will be open during the Blueberry Festival August 1.
Donated berries will be sold at the Festival in cups and quarts, with funds supporting Blueberry Festival costs. Did I mention that Jodie Musta (Pies by Jodie) picked 100 # of berries our first weekend open? Last weekend she and her daughter picked 14 pails ( #???). As a result, Jodie will have a vendor tent with dozens of her amazing blueberry pies. I was able to catch Jodie in past years...

07/29/2026

07/28/2026

Did we mention the Harrietta Blueberry Festival is coming this Saturday, August 1 (8a-5p) in downtown Harrietta! Food (breakfast & lunch fundraisers), LIVE Music, KIDS games, Geocaching, PARADE (at 11), and of course blueberries! Fresh, ready to eat in cups & quarts; in pies (handheld and full-size); pancakes; ice cream sundaes; and pie-eating contests. Fundraisers also include Quilt & basket raffle; silent auction; rummage sale; and a bake sale. Lots of creative crafters! Checkout the Harrietta Museum and the old "Wrinkled Raisin" sign from the 70's era food co-op. Blueberry Hill is part of the "activities" if you want to come pick with us after enjoying the festivities. Larry donates the fresh berries that are sold at the festival. Our donation and that from many other donors helps to cover festival costs - live music, tents, chairs, tables, porta-potties, trash bins, etc. This allows the Harrietta United Methodist Church, St. Edward Catholic Church, Harrietta Museum, and the Harrietta/Slagle Fire Hall to keep the money they earn without incurring these overhead costs (which add up!). It takes a Village of Harrietta!

07/25/2026

We encourage sampling. "If you like them when you pick them, you'll like them when you get home." Little girl Charlie had to be convinced to leave the berries and take a picture with dad, Keegan, baby brother Clyde and mom, Celia, from Irons. Alan Cundiff from Shipshewana, IN remembers visiting his grandfather, Ralph Martin, in Harrietta as a child. Calvin and his father Josh traveled from Clare by way of visiting a grandfather in Cadillac. Featured ties today include nostalgic "made in California especially for J.L. Hudson". The groovy purplish squared off tie is Sergio Valente. Capped off with b&w geometric from Savile Row. See you all on Thursday!

07/25/2026

I'm not very good at getting to our early pickers. Happy to have caught up in the late afternoon/early evening with: Sue, Maryann and Julie enjoying themselves from Caberfae/Cadillac; Dave and Joy are neighbors in Harrietta (as is anyone with a Harrietta mailing address); Luke Winslow King and his bride, Noelia, visiting from their home in Spain. Be sure to catch Luke when he performs at the Harrietta Blueberry Festival on August 1. Roberta is also from Caberfae introducing her Texas granddaughter, Ava, to Michigan blueberries. Love Hello Kitty!