For Kim Sorenson of Triple Delight Blueberries, the first spring blueberry harvest is one of the highlights of her year. "People get so excited at the farmers market," she says. "Blueberries are a feel-good fruit. It's something that takes people back to their childhood."

Today, blueberries tend to conjure up happy visions of gooey pies and freshly baked muffins, but the berry's roots in America's collective memory run deep. One of the few fruits native to the continent, wild blueberries were gathered by Native Americans for centuries, and today the U.S. leads the world in blueberry production, with more than 650 million pounds harvested each year.