The Blueberry Years: A Memoir of Farm and Family

by Jim Minick

"A truly inspiring story, in gorgeous prose, about one family's journey into blueberry farming. Delicious reading.", Naomi Wolf, author of "The End of America". The Blueberry Years is a mouth-watering and delightful memoir based on Jim Minick's trials and tribulations as an organic blueberry farmer. This story of one couple and one farm shows how our country's appetite for cheap food affects how that food is grown, who does or does not grow it, and what happens to the land. But this memoir also calls attention to the fragile nature of our global food system and our nation's ambivalence about what we eat and where it comes from. Readers of Michael Polland and Barbara Kingsolver will savor the tale of Jim's farm and the exploration of larger issues facing agriculture in the United States like the rise of organic farming, the plight of small farmers, and the loneliness common in rural America. Ultimately, The Blueberry Years tells the story of a place shaped by a young couple's dream, and how that dream ripened into one of the mid-Atlantic's first certified-organic, pick-your-own blueberry farms.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Food, Gardening, Biography, Biography Memoir, Autobiography

352 pages, Hardcover

First published August 24, 2010

About the author

Jim Minick is the author of five books, including the novel Fire Is Your Water (Ohio UP, 2017), and The Blueberry Years: A Memoir of Farm and Family (St. Martin’s, 2012), winner of the SIBA Best Nonfiction Book of the Year Award. Minick has also written a collection of essays, Finding a Clear Path, two books of poetry, Her Secret Song and Burning Heaven, and he edited All There Is to Keep by Rita Riddle. His honors include the Jean Ritchie Fellowship in Appalachian Writing, and the Fred Chappell Fellowship at University of North Carolina-Greensboro. He has also won awards from the Southern Independent Booksellers Association, Southern Environmental Law Center, The Virginia College Bookstore Association, Appalachian Writers Association, Appalachian Heritage, Now and Then Magazine, and Radford University. His poem “I Dream a Bean” was picked by Claudia Emerson for permanent display at the Tysons Corner/Metrorail Station. Minick’s work has appeared in many publications including Poets & Writers, Oxford American, Orion, Shenandoah, Encyclopedia of Appalachia, The Sun, Conversations with Wendell Berry, San Francisco Chronicle, Appalachian Journal, The Roanoke Times, and Still. He completed an MFA in fiction from UNC-Greensboro, where he was Fiction Editor for The Greensboro Review. Currently, he teaches at Augusta University and in Converse College’s low-residency MFA program.

Reviews

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

So here's my issue with too many memoirs:

I make photo books on photography websites for my kids, since I'm not patient or crafty enough to scrapbook. I go through all the pictures I took of them over the course of a year or two and try to cram all the best ones into forty or so pages. Inevitably, I end up with 80 or 100 pages on the first go and have to ruthlessly cull all those pictures down to a manageable number. I imagine it must be similar to write a memoir. You want to include everything important, but after it's all down on the page, no one really wants to see four pictures of your toddler's face smeared with yogurt.

And this is my repeated complaint with memoirs. Instead of leaving me wanting more, I usually think, "Enough, already!" Maybe I should avoid memoirs as a general rule, but I always come across interesting lives that I want to read about...and then it becomes too much.

So this one -- the story of a couple who dreamed of being self-sufficient blueberry farmers/ homesteaders -- seemed to have a lot of promise, but got bogged down in the details. It doesn't help that the author is a professor/poet. (I found the poetic excerpts at the beginning of each section a tad painful.) Too many customers described, too many mundane details of their lives, just a little too much in general. And many of the chapters felt disconnected, like they were written as blog entries, or more likely in this case, newspaper columns, and then strung together, with information repeated or out of chronological order. I think I would have enjoyed the book more if it had lost 1/3 to 1/2 of its 300 pages in the editing process. (I fully admit that I skimmed or skipped most of his "blue interludes.")

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Jim’s book, I’m left craving fresh blueberries and sadly they are out of season now! This book is an energetic tromp through ten years of creating a blueberry farm from a backwoods place that I would love to visit. The field stared as a dense mass of bull pines and finished under Jim and Sarah’s hands as blueberry heaven for their pickers. This book reminds me much of the Kingsolver/Hopps book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I’m struck by the hard work it takes for the American farmer to bring us our food and saddened by our lack of appreciation for that hard work when we succumb to buying produce grown halfway around the world!
Through the hard work and triumph of getting the farm established, there still runs a sentiment of loneliness and longing -- a longing for cultivating his art of writing, a longing for the land, and a longing to continue life’s journey wandering toward satisfying endeavors. I appreciate Jim’s attitude toward children, sustainability and the desire for creative endeavors. His writing style is makes me feel as if I’m sitting on the front porch with a glass of tea enjoying a summer evening and his occasional disclosure of life’s less than pleasant moments add a humorous honesty to his story. He structures his memoir in a way that keeps the reader going wondering what triumph or calamity might happen next and pushing them toward the end to see what really happens with that blueberry field but more importantly what will Jim and Sarah do next and do they ever have the chance to own that perfect piece of land they visited in Wythe county.
This book is highly recommended to any who can appreciate the struggles to realize a dream, for anyone who has been raised in the country (and knows how hard it is), currently lives in the country or someday wants to return to the country. If you are into sustainability, ecological responsibility, being green or being a locavore, then don’t miss this one. I hope this book will give Jim the national exposure he deserves.

[Caley · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed this memoir, there was something very... highschool-ish about the writing. The strange interludes where Minick tries his hand at poetry were just bad and the chapter sequencing was completely off. Needs some major polishing. But the story itself is very strong. I loved vicariously tasting the blueberries and romping through the fields, learning about the tough job of working the land. It's a decent read for adult memoir lovers, but best suited for a younger audience.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice warm story of Jim and Sarah's struggles to become Blueberry Farmers...which really started out as a summer thing for them when their teaching schedules allowed it. It of course became all encompassing in their lives...which they grew to love, in spite of the hardships involved.

[MrsK Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once in a while a book's cover attracts your attention and you pick it up to see what journey would await you. This wasn't a typical find, I wasn't considering it as a summer read, and yet since my days with Blueberries for Sal... my absolute favorite berry of the summer... and our garden's need for rejuvenation... this book came to our small-town home.

Meet Jim and Sarah... two young schoolteachers who purchased ninety aches of dirt. They began with six varieties of blueberries that would bloom throughout the summer of 1991. With grit and dreams of staying home and enjoying the "good life," they purchase land and moved to Floyd County, Virginia. Their farm had creeks, a spring, and a long history. Of course, a long history might suggest ready to farm, or it could mean that they would begin their first seasons with the same type of hard work that the early homesteaders experienced (this is when I began my delightful summer journey... a few chapters at a time... eating our own blueberries on our patio swing).

Preparing the land, falling trees, bees or no bees, watering systems, planting, all they knew with confidence was that their blueberries would be organic, pesticide free. The long-long days of prep began. So did their investigation with their neighbors, with other blueberry field owners, with many research items and hope that they could keep their newly planted bushes alive for their first season of pickers.

"The field...became the course work... so heavy and complex..." Tucked in between their story you will discover: choosing the type of blueberries; blueberry history, research about roots and fungi; the National Organic Standards; as well as my personal favorite insight... Henry David Thoreau's Faith in a Seed and Wild Fruits.

So much goodness in such a small fruit. Jim's writing entices you with every page turned. His and Sarah's passion for their blueberry fields lays dormant amongst a world "plugged in." Treat yourself to an endearing journey that should not be over-looked... it is an essential summertime discovery,
MrsK https://mrskbookstogo.blogspot.com/

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming narrative of one couple's dream to own and operate an organic blueberry farm in Virginia, all while learning a lot about farming, and its difficulties, along the way. The book does have a sad ending, one that the author acknowledges at the beginning of the book.
One of the most interesting things about this book was its cross genre nature, as Jim Minick not only tells of the farm and his own family history, which is packed with a wide variety of characters, but also the history of blueberry farming and the organic movement in the United States, in a series of blue interludes. Some of these chapters read like poems, others like newspaper articles, and there are also the blueberry recipes in the back of the book to keep you coming back for more.

An enjoyable read, and one that I will gladly recommend to those who are interested in the small farm movement.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was interested in this book because the blueberry farm was in Floyd County, VA, an area I am familiar with. I enjoyed reading about all of the work involved in creating and maintaining blueberry bushes. However, I did not care for the author's writing style. His descriptive passages rubbed me the wrong way... it felt like he was trying too hard. "Early in the quiet of a new day offers the best time to pick, the droplets of dew sparkling on each blue jewel. Eat and your hunger is nourished, your thirst quenched. Or, to also satisfy the hunger of your eyes, pick in the evening, when the heat has dissipated and the sunset colors the field auburn and gold, the berries fading to specks of purple as dusk settles." Reading the word "blues" again and again as a name for the blueberries got to me pretty quickly.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful, warm, and honest story about attempting to be more self-sufficient while still looking for community. I enjoyed the short chapter stories describing the hard work at preparing the land and planting and caring for the blueberry bushes. My Dad grew up in Otter Lake, Michigan and worked for Mr. Elliott of Blueberry Lane, developer of the late-season Elliott Blueberry. I fondly remember picking those giant blueberries when we visited my grandparents.

It was a treat to get to know some of the Jim and Sarah's neighbors and regular pickers. I think that was a start on the community they were looking for but sometimes, you have to look elsewhere too.
This was a delight to read, even through their difficult times. Looking forward to trying a few of the recipes too!

[Florence Buchholz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A couple of city folks bought a 90 acre homestead in Floyd County Virginia and planted 1000 blueberry bushes. There. That sounds easy. To realize their dream of having a "pick your own" farm they first had to clear the land which had lain fallow for decades. Then they had to enrich the soil. And finally they had to protect their precious plants from birds, raccoons, insects, weeds, the weather, and rampaging children. All of this was a lot more work than the Minicks had counted on but for a few seasons all was good and their land produced a bounty of fruit. The idyllic days had to end some time and they make for lots of amusing anecdotes about community and oddball neighbors.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell into the dreaded reading slump during my reading of this book. It had nothing to do with the novel! This was an enjoyable look into one couple's foray into blueberry farming. The chapters are many but short, with interesting tidbits about blueberries as well as pictures of the farm and its pickers and berries. There are many scrumptious recipes at the end, too. I'm glad this book chose me; I recommend reading this memoir to anyone who enjoys them. ... PS: Make sure you have fresh blueberries on hand while reading this one! You'll want to pop them into your mouth as you read.

[Holly Dickson-Ramos · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up hoping to dip into an interesting memoir and learn a bit about growing blueberries. Although the pace was a little slower than I prefer, I enjoyed the story and absorbed some tips for tending my own bushes. Minick writes well and does a beautiful job not only relating incidents and describing facts, but also conveying the feelings associated with people and happenings during the blueberry years.

[Brittany Barnes Deeg · Rating 4 out of 5]

An honest and inspiring journey of a couple setting out to farm. The narrative arc is interrupted by blue interludes - brief history lessons about the fruit's origins, impacts, and inspirations - that make the book that much richer. Recipes are tucked in the back and delicious to make. A lovely read.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gentle farming memoir. Emotionally expressive. Each chapter is a little snippet describing some incident or aspect of this decade of the author's life. A slightly sour or cynical view of fundamentalist Christians leaks through here and there.

A good choice for readers who like a meandering, gently-paced tale.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the pacing in this book very difficult. I wanted to finish it but it definitely felt like a slog. I was hoping for something as engaging as Barbara Kingsolver's Animal Vegetable Miracle, but this was not it.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellant story, beautifully written, poetic imagery. I love blueberries and grow a several at my Delaware home. Inspirational, a story of living with nature, respecting it's wisdom and fnding joy in the coexistance.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable and realistic peak into the life and times of a blueberry farmer. Minick does a lovely job of inviting readers along his journey as if you're sitting on a summer porch with a glass of iced tea and blueberry pie.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great anecdotes and the truth about the grit and devotion it takes to keep up a 1,000 bush blueberry plot.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the experience of blueberry farming from the dream, to the start up & finally the finish. Farmers of any kind are definitely under appreciated.

[Isha Erskine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, however I wish the ending was somewhat spoiled in the introduction. Otherwise I’d go 5 stars.

[Vickie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gets a bit preachy at times. Still a good read

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun collection of essays about his experiences with growing and selling organic blueberries. More entertaining than it sounds!

[Shani Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farming family memoirs get me in every time. Beautifully written

[Misty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a realistic look at one family's venture into blueberry farming. I enjoyed reading about this adventure of theirs.

[Coquille Fleur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely makes me want to eat blueberries!

[Rebecca Brothers · Rating 5 out of 5]

"[Berries] seem offered to us not so much for food as for sociality, inviting us to a picnic with Nature. We pluck and eat in remembrance of her. It is a sort of sacrament--a Communion--the not forbidden fruits, which no serpent tempts us to eat." --Henry David Thoreau, Autumnal Tints, 1862.

Sometimes it's just lovely to move inside someone's world for a spell. I usually do this by reading fiction, by escaping into a pretend but parallel world that allows me to get away from my own for a bit. And while I perennially chide myself for my lack of interest in non-fiction, I have to say that this year has allowed me to live inside some pretty cool places. I started with The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (a wonderful book and one that has sparked more than a little debate in my own home!). More have followed, and I'm not sad. Last night I closed Jim Minick's The Blueberry Years and sighed a little, like I have every night since I started this book, at the thought of all those long hours until breakfast. I've been scarfing down blueberries like a mad woman since Minick's poetic prose began to take hold of me.

Poet, scholar, farmer, and writer, Minick takes us along on his blueberry quest. He and his sweet wife want a simpler life, one that will allow them to live as "homesteaders," close to, from, and connected with their land. They want to grow their own food, raise their mutts in peace, and commune with nature and their art. What follows is an engaging narrative of their adventures in blueberry farming, complete with reflections on their pickers (Mennonites, hippies, and real estate moguls). His dogs even learn to pick the berries--they sidle up to a bush, sniff for the ripe ones, and then slobber their harvest into the muzzles. Minick is a poet; his collections read like a rich cobbler--layered, surprising bursts of flavor, comforting, filling. And so does this memoir, arranged around scientific explanations, the anthropology of berry-picking, and song lyrics: I found my thrill...

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect to LOVE this book as much as I did. I was interested in it, but the author's writing is so beautiful, yet funny and warm, that I just flew through reading it. Jim and Sarah Minick are both teachers who long to quit their jobs for a simpler life in the country. They get the opportunity to move to Virginia and start an organic blueberry farm. They can still work their day jobs as teachers and run the pick-your-own farm during the summer, hoping that eventually the income from the farm can replace their day jobs. LOTS of work was put into getting the farm starting and planting 1,000 blueberry bushes. Even though the peak of their business was 6 weeks in the summer, Jim did not anticipate how much year round work there would be with mowing, mulching, pruning, etc. After more than a decade, they decide that running their blueberry farm is no longer their dream and they move to another farm property nearby. They still enjoy living in the country and growing their own food, but they finally realized the blueberries were not going to financially support them. Even though some may say they failed or quit, their experience was overall a good one and I don't think either of them would regret doing it. And despite leaving their blueberry farm Jim still has a passion for the fruits and they continue to grow them for their own household. There are also quite a few recipes at the end of the book to sample!

I just loved how this book was written. Jim tells their story of buying the farm, planting and tending the blueberry bushes and opening for business. But, he also intersperses this with stories of regular customers, friends, neighbors, crazy customers, etc. I also related to them since they have chosen to not have children and deal with trying to find friends and fit into their new community. I would definitely recommend this one!

[Lauren Csaki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a hard time coming up with a numerical rating for this book. At its best moments, it reminds me of that "Humans of New York" blog--interesting vignettes of the widely diverse visitors who come to the author's pick-your-own blueberry farm. There are also many enjoyable moments of poignant introspection and charming storytelling that rank among the better of the farm-dream genre. The book desperately needs some editing, however. It tries to weave a few different threads together, jumping back and forth from one to the next throughout the narrative, but it's less than fully successful. And at times the author waxes a little too poetic. He doesn't seem to be able to sort out which stories are worth including and which aren't. With better structure and a culling of the weaker tales, it could be a real gem. As it stands, it's more like a diamond in the rough.

[Suzanne Manners · Rating 5 out of 5]

It really is hard work keeping a blueberry farm! I love to pick them and eat them, but I don't think I'd be cut out for tending to them. Jim and Sarah learned a lot in their years as berry farmers. What seemed to be the best part of their enterprise, other than the sweet taste of blue, was all the friends they made. I enjoyed the memoir but I also liked the blueberry facts and trivia. There are some tasty recipes to try in the back of the book ... one called Blueberry Grunt. If I recall it is a sort of steamed blueberry dumpling and it got its name from the sound made by the berries as they cooked. That is neat ... it makes me imagine that berries have feelings too.

[Connie T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Years ago my husband and I moved to the country in the hopes of homesteading, so I could relate to Jim and Sarah's plan, their love of the land, and the lifestyle they tried to pursue. Unlike the Minick's, we didn't have the resources to pull it off. Having said that, I'm always intrigued by the stories of people who attempt to leave the rat race behind and try to live a more simple lifestyle.

I enjoyed this glimpse into the Minick's life. I liked the book but not enough to give it 3 stars. It didn't "grab me." I wish I could give it 2 1/2 stars.