Gordon County is going into the wide blueberry yonder.

Fox Blueberry Farm, located at the intersection of Owens Chapel and Boone Ford Road, is open to the public and offering up fresh, plump blueberries for the county’s pickiest pickers.

Dan Fox, owner of Fox Blueberry Farm, is continuing a Fox family tradition in place since 1983.

Fox’s father started the blueberry farm and started this venture that remained true to his harvest heart.

With the Fox legacy continuing, residents from Gordon County and around North Georgia can pick berries until they turn blue.

“We are old fashioned; we operate on the honor system,” said Fox. “If I’m here, people pay me, if I’m not, they put in the box at the sign.”

Since Fox Blueberry Farm is open from dusk until dawn, blueberry pickers can come when temperatures are pleasant and time is convenient.

“Most of the people come early in the morning and late in the evening when the temperatures are cooler,” explained Fox. “We are strictly a pick-your-own type business, and we provide everything that the customer needs from measurements tools to bags to carry the berries home in.”

While blueberry picking is fun, the effort put in by Fox and his family takes a lot of work.

“It’s pretty labor intensive, but I thoroughly enjoy any type of outdoor work,” said Fox. “Blueberries are a summer producing plant. Usually, our season lasts anywhere from early to mid June to mid August.”

According to Fox, blueberries need plenty of sunshine, rain and a winter where temperatures are below freezing.

“As far as the maintenance of the plant, most of the work involved occurs in January and February when the plants are dormant,” said Fox. “You have to prune the plants, and depending on the weather, you have to start budding mid March early April. They start blooming mid May.”

Fox went on to say that that blueberries are a very shallow rooted plant, which requires a lot of rainfall.

“Usually two rainfalls per week is ideal. Blueberries need 30 to 40 days in the winter where the temperatures drop below 30 degrees,” said Fox. “This year, the plants are surprisingly good, since we did have such mild winter weather this year. I think it’s due to the fact we have had so much rain. After the berries start producing in June the rain determines how long we can stay open.”

At the Fox Blueberry Farm, there are 262 blueberry bushes that house five types of blueberries, which are O’Neal, Climax, Tifblue, Powderblue, and Legacy.

Fox Blueberry Farm charges $8 for a gallon of blueberries.

For more information, call 706-629-1085.