Cronk’s Berry Bucket has been a booming blueberry farm since 2007, and they are still growing. Kevon and Amy Cronk—owners of Cronk’s Berry Bucket in Sarona, Wisconsin—started with half an acre of blueberry plants. Now, they have a full acre with over 1,000 blueberry plants and three different varieties: Chippewa, Patriot and Blueray.
Weighing Blueberries at the Farm
Although there are many varieties of blueberries, only a select few are able to thrive in northern Wisconsin. The Chippewa variety is similar to a wild blueberry—the bushes are lower to the ground and berries are on the smaller side. These blueberries are also perfect for baking. The bush of the Patriot variety looks more like a tree, and these berries are slightly larger than a Chippewa blueberry. A picker-favorite is the Blueray variety—these very large and sweet blueberries fall into your hand almost like grapes!
Kevon says they decided to grow blueberries particularly because “strawberries are too low to the ground,” making them much harder to pick and care for. Kevon remembered his college roommate, whose parents grew blueberries as a hobby. Kevon thought blueberries might make a good fit for their land too, as well as something they could do as a family for extra income.
People come from all over the world to pick or order their blueberries. Since opening for business, the Cronk family has met people from Europe and other parts of the world, something that may have never happened had they not started the farm. “People from Eastern Europe, France, England and more have been vacationing nearby or visiting the area and have visited Cronk’s Berry Bucket. We’ve had people from all over the U.S., many from large cities, many young and old that have never had the opportunity to pick berries of any kind. Picking becomes an experience many have never had,” Kevon says.
The blueberry picking process is very delicate. Immediately after the blueberries are picked to fill an order, they are handsorted, and any stems or debris are removed. If the blueberries are for an order, they are placed in a cooler until they can be picked up. Cooling them down after being out in the summer heat ensures they stay fresh for as long as possible.
