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Mainers celebrate iconic state berry at third annual Wild Blueberry Weekend

Wild blueberries grown right here in Maine are only one of three native fruits grown in North America.

DRESDEN, Maine — The Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine's third annual Wild Blueberry weekend gave Mainers and visitors the chance to celebrate our state's native berry.

"The wild blueberry is kind of synonymous with Maine in terms of its sense of place, in terms of the Maine brand," Nathan Dore, co-owner of Slow Rise Farm, said.

Wild blueberries grown right here in Maine are only one of three native fruits grown in North America, and this weekend gives farmers a chance to tell their story.

"I think because blueberries are so iconically Maine, and they're so connected to our sense of place and our sense of what home is, it's something I always wanted to be a part of," Dore said.

Maine's 485 wild blueberry farms produce nearly 100 percent of all wild blueberries in the nation, according to the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine.

"It's just important and gives Mainers a sense of pride," Ashley Field, co-owner of Fields Fields Blueberries, said.

Fields Fields Blueberries in Dresden opened its gates Sunday giving people a taste of what it's like on their farm. Her business was selling wild blueberry crisp, chips, and teas, among other things.

"I think people are just really hungry to explore farms and explore wild blueberries and explore where their food comes from," she said.

According to the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine, wild blueberries emerged 10,000 years ago and were first managed by the Wabanaki.

"Wild blueberries is so unique, and so it's just a Maine thing," Field said. "It's important to celebrate it and to educate people on the differences between a high-bush blueberry and a low-bush blueberry because it's so unique."

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