Road Trip!!

[larry_stewart]

It will be interesting to hear you tell how they harvest berries from a dry bog. I can't imagine it being as much fun as you've had today.

We're looking very forward to doing it.

The first half of this tour, he did go over the history of cranberry harvesting which basically was a dry harvest. The pickers used a hand held 'picking rake' ( for lack of better words). It was like a rake-scoop that pulled the cranberries off the plants, leaving the little branches/ vines behind.

The Pickers would line up side by side, staring at the western most part of the cranberry field. Reason for this, is thats the part of the field that would catch the morning sun first. They would then work their way towards the eastern part of the field, scooping away. A forman would be following them along with barrels to load the harvested berries in. The workers, therefore, wouldn't even have to get up off their knees because they would just unload their picked berries in the barrel and keep on going. He also said back in the day, the harvesters were primarily kids.

I included a picture of the hand rake he had there, and another pic I found online ( similar to one he showed us during his talk) of the works all lined up, picking away.

 

[larry_stewart]

The more modern way was also described to us.
The fields are flooded, usually by an adjacent water source ( stream, lake ..). He said it takes him about 24 hours to flood one of the bogs. The level flooded is about up to your knees. This allows the berries to float to the surface and also allows easy mobility for the workers in the flooded bog. He said to flood any higher than that would make for very difficult working conditions.

Then, a machine ( tractor like machine with rotating components in the front of it) basically goes row by row through the bog, knocking the berries off the vines. The berries then float to the water surface.'

They corral the berries using those floatation things , similar as they do to contain an oils spill. Then, they submerge this large pump into the corralled berries, and this sucks them up and loads them into a truck. He said there is some kind of air that hits the berries as they after they are sucked up, yet prior to being loaded in the truck. It is at a specific speed as to blow out any leaves or non berry material, yet allow the berries to continue to be sucked up and loaded into the truck. We didnt see it in action, but I got a picture of that pump machine. Workers get into the bogs, and use those Poled rake -like tools to help corral the berries towards the pump. As the process goes, they remove more of the flotation things to keep the berries compact a the surface until all the berries have been harvested. They berries can sit in a dry cool place out of the sun. No refrigeration is needed, unlike most other fruit, so thats a big cost saver for them. There are 2 varieties one is smaller with a longer shelf life, compared to the other which is bigger, plumper bt much shorter shelf life.

And obviously, their prime season for fresh berries is from about this time of year through Christmas. Other than that, the berries are frozen, for longer storage and are sent for processing juice and other processed items.

 

[jd_1138]

I love road trips. I live in Ohio, but I am from California so I've done a few 5,000 mile plus roadtrips there and back. That's a lot of miles. lol, but on the interstates it's easy to rack up the miles.

A few years ago, I drove over to Chicago and picked my brother up at the Amtrak station, and then we drove through Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, then across the border to Manitoba then west through Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and then back to the USA through Washington and Oregon and to California.

Then I drove back from California after I was there for 2 weeks. I drove solo from California to Ohio. The entire trip was like 6,000 miles. I took out most of the seats in my Pontiac Montana minivan. I just left one in the back (folded forward), so we had an air mattress back there. While one was driving, the other would be in the back sleeping.

 

[larry_stewart]

We've aways done road trips with the kids as they were growing up. Usually limited to 3 -4 hours away, with the occasional 8 hour ( Niagara Falls, Montreal, Bar Harbor..

My wife was against the long road trips at first, but with careful planning, frequent stops to break up the long ride, she is ok with it. We rent a car, as I dont want to put that kind of miles on my own. This will be our 3rd Major road trip, and we are looking forward to it. Down to the final planning phase now, and making sure I dont forget anything, and making sure that everything that needs to be taken care of before we leave gets done.

Im already getting the hotel confirmation emails ( which are usually sent out a week or less prior to your stay) so it is now becoming real. Cant believe its here already.

***My Montana trip was 6675 miles round trip*** Definitely pushed me to my limits, but was a lot of fun. This trip will be nothing close to that ( unless we get really lost lol )

 

[Addie]

Hi Ya'all,
Inspired by K-Girls day by day encounter of her cross country journey a few months back, I decided to do the same with my 50th Birthday Road Trip Adventure. This road trip is my birthday present to myself. Im not the biggest fan of flying, so we usually do one relatively long road trip a year ( and a bunch of long, more local, road trips throughout the year.

This one will include many things that suit my interests and hobbies. As you all know, I love cooking and eating. In addition to that, my other major hobbies are gardening, music ( attending concerts, Music History and embarrassing myself on the piano and guitar), US History, Photography and the Great Outdoors. This trip will include many things that coincide with the above hobbies.

Part of the challenges of this trip, compared to others, is that my wife is now vegan ( Im vegetarians for anyone who doesnt know that by now). So, aside from all the interesting and fun places we visit, Ill keep you all posted on the challenges, successes and (hopefully not too many) failures we encounter along the way as we stuff our faces. One thing I love is eating local foods ( foods that define a region, state, city...). Also love farmer's markets and even different grocery store chains. I love to see what everyone eats in other places.

There are some places on our list that we are definitely going too, other places we will just be passing through, We do have some time to do additional things that just pop up or look too good to miss, but here is the general itinerary.

Starting from Long Island NY
Hershey PA
Pittsburgh PA
Passing through Columbus OH and Cincinnati OH
Louisville KY
Nashville TN
Muscle Shoals, AL
Chattanooga TN
Smokey Mountains ( Cades Cove)
Monticello VA
Mount Vernon Va
Back Home to recharge a bit ( 1 day)
( We will then head up to Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island to celebrate my daughters 21st Birthday)

We will be visiting a handful of museums, a few concerts, a few past President's houses, a National Park or Two, A few farms and Zoos and at least 4 recording studios. it will be a lot of fun and very exhausting. Looking forward to it.

Wont be leaving until October 19th, but i figured Id post this now to get some input on road-tripping and possible suggestions along the way ( even though we have limited time for additions, but ya never know).

One additional perk, which just happened to work out, was that I looked at the Peak Foliage Map, and it appears that we are basically traveling with the peak foliage colors as they shift from state to state, so Im hoping to get some really nice Foliage pics.

Larry

Don't even try to drive in Boston. Boston is a very walkable city. Follow the Freedom Trail that is clearly marked with red bricks in the sidewalk.

 

[larry_stewart]

Don't even try to drive in Boston. Boston is a very walkable city. Follow the Freedom Trail that is clearly marked with red bricks in the sidewalk.

We actually did the freedom trail a few years back. Loved it !!

We go to Boston each year ( unfortunately in January, because thats when the convention is, and thats when you guys get several feet snow), but when we go , we park the car when we get there, and dont see it again til we leave. I gave up on driving in big cities if I can avoid it. Too much hassle, and better to see a city by foot.

 

[buckytom]

Cranberries are fairly unique in their ability to be harvested by floating and raking. They have air pockets in them to allow for that.

Been to lots of bogs in South Jersey over the years. If you ever drive by a fairly spare, dry field of short, crimson bushes surrounded by a small levy, you're seeing a cranberry bog.

larry, where are you headed in Hershey? Lancaster Co., or just commercial Hershey?

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Thanks for the photos and explanation of dry harvesting of cranberries, larry. Very interesting. BTW, MA is the second-largest producer of cranberries. Believe it or not, WI produces more than half of the U.S. crop of the little guys. American Cranberry

We've aways done road trips with the kids as they were growing up. Usually limited to 3 -4 hours away, with the occasional 8 hour ( Niagara Falls, Montreal, Bar Harbor...

Our kids' first road trip was from the suburbs of Cleveland to Webster Groves, MO (suburban St. Louis) when they were 8+ months old. We thought we'd be smart and drive all night while they slept. We didn't think about the part where we would be spent when we got to my friend's home in the morning. Thankfully, she let us sleep while she entertained our two.

Before they were two, we drove down to Cape Coral, FL, to spend Thanksgiving with the in-laws. By the time the kids were headed off to kindergarten, they must have logged well over 5000 miles of highway travel. Himself and I were either nuts, or nuts.

 

[Addie]

Cranberries are fairly unique in their ability to be harvested by floating and raking. They have air pockets in them to allow for that.

Been to lots of bogs in South Jersey over the years. If you ever drive by a fairly spare, dry field of short, crimson bushes surrounded by a small levy, you're seeing a cranberry bog.

larry, where are you headed in Hershey? Lancaster Co., or just commercial Hershey?

Cranberries were originally called "Bounce Berries". They bounce due to that little pocket of air in them. If they don't bounce, it is no good for eating. Every October, we listened to the radio waiting for the first report of frost. The whole family (minus my mother) made a rush to the bog to flood the plants. Frost will kill the plants real fast. The berries had already been harvested and sold to the cooperative. As kids, we got to harvest the honey. Today, I can't stand the taste of it. Had my fill as a kid.

To this day, I still don't understand the concept of flooding and allowing the water to freeze over for the winter, yet frost is harmful to the plants. Isn't frost just the early stages of freezing for ice?

 

[Addie]

We actually did the freedom trail a few years back. Loved it !!

We go to Boston each year ( unfortunately in January, because thats when the convention is, and thats when you guys get several feet snow), but when we go , we park the car when we get there, and dont see it again til we leave. I gave up on driving in big cities if I can avoid it. Too much hassle, and better to see a city by foot.

At one time just before you head out for the Freedom Trail, there was Chinatown. Also known as the "Combat Zone." It was really hurting the tourist trade. So the police in a matter of a couple of months, cleaned the place up and the ladies of the evening headed for Route #1A. Over the years Chinatown has cleaned itself up.

 

[buckytom]

Addie, spraying water on plants actually protects them from being exposed to temps lower than 32° as the ice sets at that temp.
Many plants can handle 32 for a short while, but 20, or 15° or lower would really harm them.

 

[larry_stewart]

Hershey is more of a stop over for us than a destination for this trip. My main goal for day 1 was to just get on the other side of the city. I didnt want to drive too far, and hershey's is about 3 - 4 hours from where I live. Ive done Lancaster in the past, and love it, but I needed something that potentially had something to do in the evening, since thats when we will be arriving. We're going more for sentimental/ reminiscing of the good old days. We used to take our kids to hershey annually for awhile. Now, the kids being 21 and 23, they're not kids anymore. We thought it would be fun and a nice easy first stop. I do want to do Lancaster, by itself. My guess is we'll do that next year as a long weekend.

The farmer told us that cranberries get their name from the shape of their flowers. Apparently they resembled the way a crane ( the bird) looks, so they went with it. I didnt see much resemblance

About Cranberries » Cranberry Marketing Committee

From what i understood, after the harvest, the bogs are drained.

 

[larry_stewart]

At one time just before you head out for the Freedom Trail, there was Chinatown. Also known as the "Combat Zone." It was really hurting the tourist trade. So the police in a matter of a couple of months, cleaned the place up and the ladies of the evening headed for Route #1A. Over the years Chinatown has cleaned itself up.

We usually walk from the convention center in the seaport area, to the Chinatown area, or to see a show at the opera house ( which is a beautiful theater), and the area appears to be cleaned up pretty well, Glad I didnt attempt this when it was considered the Combat Zone !!

 

[larry_stewart]

Before they were two, we drove down to Cape Coral, FL, to spend Thanksgiving with the in-laws. By the time the kids were headed off to kindergarten, they must have logged well over 5000 miles of highway travel. Himself and I were either nuts, or nuts.

2 kids under the age of 2 must have been a real treat. I remember my son, probably about 1 year old, we were on our way back from philly to new york. He slept the first 2/3 of the trip, but when we got over the Verazzanno bridge, he woke up and was crying ( very loudly) from the belt parkway ( for all you who dont know the belt parkway in NY, that road is the devil) all the way home ( about 1 - 1 1/2 hours). It just didnt end. So yeah, Im going with you were nuts !!!

 

[taxlady]

A lot of North Americans seem to think that cranberries are only from North America. The word for cranberry is "tranbär" in Swedish and "tranebær" in Danish and Norwegian.

Here's a map of where they grow:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranberry#/media/File:Cranberrymap.jpg

 

[Addie]

Addie, spraying water on plants actually protects them from being exposed to temps lower than 32° as the ice sets at that temp.
Many plants can handle 32 for a short while, but 20, or 15° or lower would really harm them.

Thanks bt. Now why couldn't someone over the years have given me such a simple explanation!

 

[Addie]

We usually walk from the convention center in the seaport area, to the Chinatown area, or to see a show at the opera house ( which is a beautiful theater), and the area appears to be cleaned up pretty well, Glad I didnt attempt this when it was considered the Combat Zone !!

For years the Opera House stood neglected and closed. Then they totally gutted it and brought it back to its old glory. They brought in the old experts from Italy to do all the plaster work along with all the gold leafing. I had a friend who grew up in California. All of their theaters are just square boxes. I sent her the pictures of the Opera House, Wang Theater, and the Colonial Theater. Boston has a very active theater public. We also have local small venues in the various towns and cities outside of Boston. When a show that is popular comes to town, they are usually sold out the very first day. The Wang Theater is even more beautiful than the Opera House. I used to go with my sister to see the shows. Now I go with my daughter.

One year my sister and I went to see a show at the Opera House. But we went to dinner first at the Teatro Restaurant on Tremont Street. I had the Linguini with Parmesan Sauce. An extremely creamy and delicious dish. I still want to go back just to have the dish again and again.

When the shows used to go out for the trials, Boston was always the last stop before the show would head for NYC. If it got panned in Boston, as a rule it never made it to Broadway. I always love to go on opening night. A perfect excuse to get all dressed up. And usually the stars of the play or musical are there on opening night.

 

[larry_stewart]

For years the Opera House stood neglected and closed. Then they totally gutted it and brought it back to its old glory. They brought in the old experts from Italy to do all the plaster work along with all the gold leafing. I had a friend who grew up in California. All of their theaters are just square boxes. I sent her the pictures of the Opera House, Wang Theater, and the Colonial Theater. Boston has a very active theater public. We also have local small venues in the various towns and cities outside of Boston. When a show that is popular comes to town, they are usually sold out the very first day. The Wang Theater is even more beautiful than the Opera House. I used to go with my sister to see the shows. Now I go with my daughter.

One year my sister and I went to see a show at the Opera House. But we went to dinner first at the Teatro Restaurant on Tremont Street. I had the Linguini with Parmesan Sauce. An extremely creamy and delicious dish. I still want to go back just to have the dish again and again.

When the shows used to go out for the trials, Boston was always the last stop before the show would head for NYC. If it got panned in Boston, as a rule it never made it to Broadway. I always love to go on opening night. A perfect excuse to get all dressed up. And usually the stars of the play or musical are there on opening night.

Love going to the theater. We do broadway several times a year. We also will see a show every time we go to Philly and Boston. You're right, the shows sell out real quickly in Boston. If you dont get them the day they start selling them, good luck !!

 

[Scott-180]

Awesome trip Larry! I spend all my vacations doing American road trips (see my profile pic!)

My last one was in April and I did:

D.C.
Charleston WV
Nashville
Asheville NC
Greensborough NC
Philadelphia

Think I might do Texas for my next one!

 

[Mad Cook]

Hi Ya'all,
Inspired by K-Girls day by day encounter of her cross country journey a few months back, I decided to do the same with my 50th Birthday Road Trip Adventure. This road trip is my birthday present to myself. Im not the biggest fan of flying, so we usually do one relatively long road trip a year ( and a bunch of long, more local, road trips throughout the year.

This one will include many things that suit my interests and hobbies. As you all know, I love cooking and eating. In addition to that, my other major hobbies are gardening, music ( attending concerts, Music History and embarrassing myself on the piano and guitar), US History, Photography and the Great Outdoors. This trip will include many things that coincide with the above hobbies.

Part of the challenges of this trip, compared to others, is that my wife is now vegan ( Im vegetarians for anyone who doesnt know that by now). So, aside from all the interesting and fun places we visit, Ill keep you all posted on the challenges, successes and (hopefully not too many) failures we encounter along the way as we stuff our faces. One thing I love is eating local foods ( foods that define a region, state, city...). Also love farmer's markets and even different grocery store chains. I love to see what everyone eats in other places.

There are some places on our list that we are definitely going too, other places we will just be passing through, We do have some time to do additional things that just pop up or look too good to miss, but here is the general itinerary.

Starting from Long Island NY
Hershey PA
Pittsburgh PA
Passing through Columbus OH and Cincinnati OH
Louisville KY
Nashville TN
Muscle Shoals, AL
Chattanooga TN
Smokey Mountains ( Cades Cove)
Monticello VA
Mount Vernon Va
Back Home to recharge a bit ( 1 day)
( We will then head up to Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island to celebrate my daughters 21st Birthday)

We will be visiting a handful of museums, a few concerts, a few past President's houses, a National Park or Two, A few farms and Zoos and at least 4 recording studios. it will be a lot of fun and very exhausting. Looking forward to it.

Wont be leaving until October 19th, but i figured Id post this now to get some input on road-tripping and possible suggestions along the way ( even though we have limited time for additions, but ya never know).

One additional perk, which just happened to work out, was that I looked at the Peak Foliage Map, and it appears that we are basically traveling with the peak foliage colors as they shift from state to state, so Im hoping to get some really nice Foliage pics.

Larry

Have a wonderful time and try and find time to give us a blow by blow account of the trip as you go.