Mixed berries are popular super foods. What makes them so super? They are packed with vital nutrients, such as antioxidants, that are important for good health. Examples of berries include blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries.
Blueberries are perennial, deciduous shrubs. They are commonly grown as free standing shrubs. When the berry is a deep blue color they are carefully hand-picked and rushed to nearby packing houses and then delivered fresh to the grocery store.
Blackberry and raspberry plants start flowering in the spring and berries ripen in the summer. Some varieties are vine-like and are gown on trellises. When ready for harvest the blackberry will have a solid center while the raspberry is hollow.
Commercially, strawberries grow on plastic covered beds, close to the ground. On average, it takes 30 days for the fruit to ripen before being picked. When the strawberries are ready to be harvested they are hand- picked, placed in clamshells or other packaging, transported to a cooler, and delivered to stores or restaurants.
Standards:: ELA- Grade 3: Reading 2.1, 2.3, 2.6; Grade 4: Reading 2.2; Grade 5: Reading 2.1; Grade 6: Reading 2.1 You and your A bramble is a plant
Did You Know?
A bramble is a plant belonging to the genius Rubus, and includes raspberries, blackberries, and hybrids such as boysenberries.
The strawberry got its name in the 19th century when children strung the berries onto straw and offered them for sale. Hence the name straw-berry.
Activity
You and your family visit a local U-pick farm to pick fresh berries. They have three varieties in season: raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. The raspberries and blueberries are $3.25 per pound and strawberries are $2.99 per pound. Calculate the cost of purchasing ½ a pound of raspberries, ¼ pound of blueberries, and 1¾ pounds of strawberries. Round to the nearest cent.