Bumper harvest in Lyre of a berry ideal for Kerry’s soil

LUSCIOUS blueberries are dripping off the bushes in Lyreacrompane as one family reaps a bumper harvest of the super-healthy fruit – in something many in Kerry could emulate.

The county’s expansive peaty-soil base provides the perfect ground for growth. So much so we could even become the blueberry capital of Ireland if we wanted.

Kay O’Leary, partner Joe Harrington and family are enjoying a brilliant crop at present at their home in Lyreacrompane, after planting over a hundred Sunshine Blue and Nui varieties of the blueberry five years ago.

“They’re 100 per cent organic, grown using just seaweed as fertiliser and nothing else,” Joe told The Kerryman.

“We had a patch of ground lying idle where we decided to plant medium-sized blueberries. They love acidic, peaty soil and given the ground conditions in this county, Kerry could become the blueberry capital of Ireland!” Joe said. He said that the key was in picking the flowers of the bush for the first two years so as to prevent the plant producing berries.

By year three things were looking good.

“We had a great crop two years ago although last year wasn’t great, but this year has seen the best crop yet.”

They’re struggling to keep up with the berries but they’re at least getting a hand from the young ones as Ellie Lyons demonstrates in the photograph above.

“All the grandkids and their friends are in picking and eating the berries. They couldn’t be doing better than that, out in the fresh air eating the healthiest of foods!” Joe said.

And there’s months of eating ahead as the berries make for extraordinary jam and can be frozen too without impairment.

Little Ellie Lyons from Ballyduff, picking some of her gran’s blueberries in Lyreacrompane last week.