1. Intro
Every year in mid July I head to a Highbush Blueberry patch in northern Pennsylvania. It comprises about 50 to 75 acres in the middle of nowhere. Very quiet. Very nice. Very secluded. Just a little creek gurgling and an occasional turkey cackling.
Sometimes I really enjoy the day picking the blueberries as any normal person does. However, as the blueberries start to get to the point where most of them on the bunch are ripe, rather than just a couple here and there, it is time to stock up for the year.
You can tell they are ready for 'mass gathering' when some of the blueberries near the hand that you use for picking start to fall off more often. It is this tendency to drop easily that you can take advantage of.
When the blueberry bunches contain berries where most of them in the bunch are ripe, say approximately 80 percent, you can grab the whole bunch OR you can 'shake them' off.
It is not unusual under the correct conditions to 'shake off' 5 gallons of blueberries in one hour. Mostly though, when I take my time, I will average 5 gallons in about 1 1/2 hours. If I get picky I will get 5 gallons in 2 hours. Any of the three are very good results.
How do I do it you ask?
Read on.
2. Equipment
You'll need a large sturdy umbrella. A golf umbrella works great. The bigger the better.
One 5 gallon bucket and lid.
Afro-pick ( optional ). Use this if you want to be more selective and pick approximately 5 gallons in 2 1/2 hours.

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I start with a 5 gallon bucket & lid and a golf umbrella. Sometimes I also take along an Afro-pick.
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3. Procedure
As you walk through the bushes take special note of those that are really loaded up with ripe blueberries. We want those bushes that have a high percentage of ripeness and/or bunches which have mostly ripe berries in the bunch.
Also we want to find those bushes that have several upright branches that can be gathered together into a group.

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Here is a prime candidate. There are actually 4 or 5 bushes very close together which are all loaded with ripe berries.
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Open your umbrella and turn it upside down near the bush or group of bushes.

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The umbrella is placed in a strategic position where there are several bushes all of which have several branches loaded with ripe blueberries.
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Gather several of the branches together and bend over the umbrella. The more branches gathered together the faster you will reap.

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The branches are gathered together into slightly loose bundles and bent over the umbrella.
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Shake the branches. Move them back and forth and shake again. Rearrange the bundle of branches and shake again. In a minute or two of this activity you will be surprised how many blueberries will be in the umbrella. |