Ga. Blueberry Commission Debuts Recipe Contest

The Georgia Blueberry Commission will host its first-ever “Sweet Georgia Blues Recipe Contest” throughout the month of June in celebration of Georgia Blueberry Month.

Georgia Blueberry fans are invited to create and photograph an original recipe using Georgia Blueberries. Submissions will be posted on the Georgia Blueberry Commission’s website and Facebook page for voting.

Recipe submission and voting is currently open and will continue through June 30; winners will be announced on July 8.

The recipe creator with the most votes will win $500. Contestants who receive the second and third most votes will receive a Sweet Georgia Blues Basket, which includes blueberry jams and an autographed cookbook, and an autographed copy of Hugh Acheson’s “A New Turn in the South Cookbook,” respectively.

“June is the peak of our season and we want consumers to be as excited about Georgia Blueberry Month as we are,” said Joe Cornelius, chairman of the Georgia Blueberry Commission. “Hosting this month-long recipe contest is a great way to do that. Plus, we’re looking forward to seeing all the new recipes we can try.”

According to the Georgia Farm Gate Value Report, blueberries make up nearly 40 percent of all fruits grown in the state and have an estimated value of $134 million, compared to just $22 million a decade ago. Georgia is one of the largest blueberry-producing states in the United States and boasts the longest season from mid-April to the end of July.