​It's rapidly becoming a favorite season of the year.  This year’s blueberry season kicked off the first week in April and is expected to continue through May.    

The growing number of local u-pick farms currently has prices that range from $4 to $8 per pound for the sweet and nutritious treat.  Eager blueberry lovers should pick to their heart’s content since blueberries are widely considered a ‘super food’ that’s low in calories and high in nutrients and antioxidants.  
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Here's the list of local U-Pick blueberry farms and their current price per pound and u-pick hours:

Atwood Family Farm
25079 SE Hwy 450, Umatilla, 352-630-0145
$4 per pound u-pick,  $5 per pound pre-picked.
U-pick  hours: Weekends 8:30-4.  Weekdays as available. 

Blue Bayou Farms (organic)
8222 CR 48, Yalaha, 352-267-5277
$5 per pound u-pick or $7 per pound pre-picked.  
U-pick Hours:  9-5pm daily, except Monday.

Far Reach Ranch Heavenly Blueberries
1255 South Dora Blvd., Tavares, 352-343-7389 
$4 per pound u-pick, $5.50 per pound pre-picked.
U-pick hours: Wed.-Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-4.
Other offerings:  A variety of blueberry jams, blueberry salsa and local honey.

King Grove Organic Farm 
19741 CR 44A, Eustis, 352-589-2469
$8 per pound u-pick.
U-pick hours are very limited, so call ahead.

Promise Farms
36777 CR 44A, Eustis, 352-408-1988
$5 per pound u-pick or $7 per pound pre-picked.
U-pick hours: Mon.-Sat. 9-3. Closed on Sunday.

Sand Hill Blueberries
31614 Bottany Woods Dr., Eustis, 352-636-8204
$4 per pound u-pick or $6 per pound pre-picked.
Other offerings:  Picnic area, hamburgers and hotdogs on weekends, swings, horseshoes.

Due to weather, field and berry conditions, u-pick hours and pricing can change, so it's recommended pickers call the farm prior to visiting.

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When Joanne Phillipp, of Mount Dora, went for her regular check-up with her primary care physician, she felt good with the exception of chronic acid reflux symptoms.

“My physician had been treating my GERD (gastroesophogeal reflux disease) for a while with medication,” explains Phillipp.  “All of my lab tests were coming back normal and my blood pressure was perfect, but he referred me to a cardiologist to schedule a heart catheterization as the definitive test. A few days before my scheduled cath, I started to feel a little off.  I was worried and felt like I should go to the ER.”

Phillipp listened to her instincts and went to the emergency department at Florida Hospital Waterman. An emergency heart catheterization showed multiple blockages in her coronary arteries and immediate surgery was recommended by cardiothoracic surgeon, Gary Allen, MD.

“Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a surgical option for people who have severe coronary artery disease, a condition in which plaque builds up in the coronary arteries and reduces blood flow to the heart muscle,” explained Allen.

Bypass surgery typically requires the chest to be opened surgically, and a heart-lung bypass machine is used to circulate the blood and add oxygen while the heart is stopped during the grafting procedure. For some patients, off pump surgery may be an option. With this less invasive technique, the heart muscle is slowed with medication but is still beating during the procedure, circulating blood and oxygen on its own without the need for a heart-lung bypass machine.
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Phillipp had off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery in early October and today she is back to playing catch with her grandson and planning to run in an Easter 5K sponsored by her church every year.

“I feel fantastic and I am very grateful,” says Phillipp. “I now know that women experience very different symptoms of heart attacks. The sharp pains and discomfort that I was attributing to my GERD were in fact symptoms of an impending attack. I don’t care how foolish you think you are being, if you feel like things aren’t right then mention it to your doctor right away. My doctors saved my life.”

Find a local heart specialist here. 

​For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis,  download the area's free mobile app. ​ Free subscriptions to the monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz are available here.

“I was in the hospital a total of seven weeks and most of that time was spent doing physical therapy and healing my wounds,” says Simmons. “The discoloring of my legs that the physicians noticed was actually the infection spreading through my bloodstream. I was left with nerve damage in my legs and feet from the lack of oxygen to my extremities during the infection. At one point I was facing possibly amputation of several limbs but thankfully it never came to that point.”
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Today, she is passionate about sharing her story and educating others on the importance of recognizing early signs of sepsis. Until her diagnosis, Simmons had never heard of the condition.
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“I shouldn’t be here today. I was given a 5% chance of living and yet by the grace of God I am alive,” says Simmons. “I view life each day as a gift.”
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SYMPTOMS OF SEPSIS
S  Shivering, fever, or very cold
E  Extreme pain or general discomfort ("worst ever")
P  Pale or discolored skin
S  Sleepy, difficult to rouse, confused
I  "I feel like I might die."
S  Short of breath

Watch for a combination of these symptoms.  If you suspect sepsis, see a doctor urgently, Call 911 or go to the hospital and say "I'm concerned about sepsis."   Find a physician here.

​To news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis on the go download the area's free mobile app. ​ Free subscriptions to the monthly issue of Mount Dora Buzz are available here.