When Blueberries Bloom, Burn, and Boom

 

Steven Frederick sharing his research of the Altona Flat Rock blueberry business.

© 2025 Luke T. Bush

PLATTSBURGH CITY, NY – 2/7/25

During his presentation on the The Booming Blueberry Business – Altona Flat Rock local historian Steven Frederick warned there were guards protecting the area.

Deer flies.  Nasty biters than can leave a small hole in your skin.

But why would Altona Flat Rock need guards?  The sandstone barren, Steven explained, is only one of twenty such places in the world.  Protecting the rare landscape/ecosystem is essential. 

With its usually dry conditions Altona Flat Rock — bordering on Canada — is fire prone.  Fires help the jack pine trees grow, splitting open their cones, releasing seeds.  And after each fire there’s another resilient plant that comes back to life: the blueberry.  After some time there are more large juicy blueberries.

From 1850 to 1957 blueberries were a booming operation, each harvest sent via rail to distributors in Boston.  In 1914 a berry picker could earn up to $300 for the season.  Steven explained in today’s dollars that figure would be equivalent to $12,413, enough money to lay in provisions for a while.

But it wasn’t easy work.  Besides horseflies pickers in the in the early days also had to deal with rattlesnakes.

There’s a constant watch on to preserve Altona Flat Rock.  Steve mentioned that some ATV drivers are ruining the area so cameras have been set up.

Additional protection to go with the deer flies.