NJ farmers thrilled with this year's blueberry crop

TABERNACLE, N.J. (WPVI) -- Hammonton, New Jersey is known as the blueberry capital of the world and area farmers in Atlantic and Burlington counties are thrilled with this year's crop.

Like other local farmers, the pickers at Moore's Meadow Blueberry and Cranberry Farm in Tabernacle are hard at work.

The blueberry crop is in and farmer Sam Moore III is thrilled with the results.

"Harvest looks really good this year. We have a lot of blueberries. There's great quality, the flowers set wonderful, there was great pollinating weather and it made this wonderful crop we have today," said Sam III.

The Moores have been farming this land for seven generations since 1829 and it's a family affair.

The love of farming has passed from Sam Moore Jr. to Sam Moore III to 10-year-old Sam Moore IV.

"My grandkids seem to really love what their grandfather loves and I think he's instilled in them a love for the land, a love for what we do," said Neva Moore.

"I love it! I love blueberries and cranberries, I just love this place," said Sam IV.

The Moores grow 40 acres of blueberries in the sandy soil of the pinelands, tending to roughly 46,000 plants.

Once picked, the berries go into a blower system that removes stems and electronically detects and removes berries that are soft, green, or too small.

The Moores inspect them by hand, too. Then a conveyor belt drops the blueberries into plastic containers to be packed, boxed and delivered.

They produce 40,000 flats a year.

With temperatures so hot recently, working in the fields isn't easy, but farmers can't wait because when the berries are ready, they have to be picked.

"The blueberries are a perishable fruit. You cannot stop, you have to keep picking," said Sam III.

"Seven days a week. Once we start, unless it rains, we do not stop," said Sam Jr.

The Moores sell their blueberries to a Hammonton distributor and they can be found in stores up and down the East Coast.

Whether you buy yours at the market or one of South Jersey's many pick -your -own farms, here's what you should look for:

"They want to see a nice powder blue, solid, firm, big blueberry is what they want to see. Nothing tiny, nothing discolored, nothing soft," said Sam III.

And when you find that nothing tastes better.