The ‘Patch’
My desk looks out over “The Patch”, a place I’ve known for as long as I can remember. The rows of blueberries planted by my family over the years gently roll southward over a series of knolls—softly shaped hills with sectional plantings, each neatly spaced 8 feet apart. The snow contrasts against the cranberry-red canes, making the contours of the land look like a topographical map. The sunlight creates a constantly changing and inspiring view. I’m profoundly grateful for this Patch, and love sharing it with people throughout the year.
My Dad, brother and his kids, have always called this place “the farm”, rather than “the Patch”. I remember my Auntie Barb, the world traveler, saying to Mom and Grandmother Paulie, “I’ll be seeing you at the Patch”. My sister, Paula Jo, and I carried on the tradition in our conversations over the years, referring to it mostly as “the Patch”. It just felt like our poetic way of saying “home”. I code-switch and call it the farm when I talk to my brother and his family.
Recently, I found out that in a broader ecological context, a “patch“ refers to a distinct area of habitat. “A ‘local Patch’ is a term used by birders and naturalists to describe a specific, relatively small, and often nearby area—such as a local park, woodland, garden, or stretch of river—that they visit regularly throughout the seasons. It is a place where a naturalist becomes intimately familiar with the specific flora and fauna, allowing them to track changes, identify residents, and observe the nuances of nature over time. It is usually close to home or work, allowing for frequent, routine visits. The goal is to deeply understand that specific, small area rather than visiting many different locations”.
This information added a layer of meaning for me. I deeply understand the experience of observing and connecting with a familiar place over time. Although I’ve lived in other places, I have always visited here frequently. As I recall it, one of the sweetest traditions upon my arrival was to first take a family walk around the Patch together. Over the years, the family members taking these walks have changed. Sometimes now it’s just me, perhaps with Beth and the pup too. I’ve enjoyed inviting friends to walk with me, creating a new sense of family since moving back to run the farm in 2015.
It’s incredible to think that it’s been over sixty years of connection to this place—almost as long as it’s been a pick-your-own blueberry farm! Even though it holds a special place in my heart, it doesn’t feel like just “my Patch”. It’s a place many others have also known with their families over time, perhaps even as long as I have, with similar shifts in their sense of family. I’m speaking, of course, of our blueberry customer community. It’s a joy to continue hosting this growing and changing family, all of us nourished by the Patch’s beauty, and fed by the love of summer blueberry picking—and eating!
I wonder if you would like to join me on some virtual walks around the Patch, or on one of our woodland trails? We are starting a blog on our website, and posting on FB or IG with stories and photos once a month of our walk-about in the Patch and cutting garden. See the blueberry crop come to life as we move toward the season opening. Take in the wonder of seasonal beauty in the cutting garden with Beth. All here at my favorite place on Earth.
Also, I want to remind you that our 2026 Season page (and farm calendar) with events, season information, and new products is now available at burdickblueberries.net. You might want to bookmark it and view it as the plans for the year unfold.
