June 10, 2015 11:36 am • Kid Scoop News Feature Reporters Lane Kenny and Sophie Martinac (With Staff Assistance)
Bluebird Spring Orchard is located one mile south of Akron, Iowa, just east of Highway 12. The orchard is planted with approximately five acres of several varieties of apples and five acres of aronia berries. One must not confuse the aronia berry, which is also known as a chokeberry with the commonly known chokecherry of the Midwest, as the members of this reporting team soon found out. Chokeberries are cultivated as ornamental plants and as food products. The sour berries can be eaten raw off the bush, and are frequently processed into wine, jam, syrup, juice, soft spreads, tea, salsa to name a few. The chokecherry received its name from the obvious fact that it is very tart and often causes your lips to pucker…and you “choke”. So, while the berries are distant cousins, Mary and George Lucken, the owners, reminded all that they are very different.
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