You grow cranberries? That is WAY cool!
About 20 years ago, I was traveling in Massachusetts during the Autumn months, and while driving, saw a sunken field with a burgundy hue to it. Didnt think much of it, then it hit me. I was looking a cranberry bog. I had read about them and saw them in pictures, but never live. I stopped the car, got out an looked around. I was so excited that I made a note to myself to add growing cranberries to my bucket list. ( Same exact thing happened to me when I was in Alabama and passed a cotton field. I have grown cotton since then, which was really cool too).
When I got home, I researched where to get them and how to grow them. Initially thinking that I needed a water bog to grow them, I have since learned that that is only needed during the harvesting process, to flood the fields so the berries float to the top, the easily harvested ( Its not actually mandatory, just makes harvesting more efficient). I bought 15 plants and made myself a nice cranberry bed in a raised garden. All was going well until I asked my son to mow the backyard. He somehow managed to get the lawnmower up and into the raised cranberry bed, and mowed all 15 plants down to a nub. needless to say I wasn't very happy. I never let him mow the grass again ( which was likely his motive ).
Fast forward a few years ago we visited and toured 2 cranberry farms in Massachusetts ( kinda near the Cape Cod region). One farm was small privately owned farm. They went through the process, but the main perk of this tour was the photo op. You got to put on waders, grab a rake, get into the bog, and get an 'action shot' . We then headed over to the next farm which was a more major production. Many of the farms are affiliated with, sub contracted by ... Ocean Spray. This one was a bus tour. Went to multiple sites to see the whole process. We got to get out at many of the stops ( wasn't like we just looked out the window). The last stop, we got out, were handed a few berry scoops and a few gallon + sized bags and were were able to pick the berries ourselves, fill the bags and take them home. cranberries freeze very well, so we froze them in portions and used them when needed ( took like 3 years to used up, even after giving many away).
So, once again, I was inspired to grow cranberries . My sons in China so he cant get to them, should be safe. Earlier in the season, I went to this garden nursery and spotted a bunch of plants ( I got 4). I put them in pots, and they are doing real well. I noticed the berries starting to rot the past week or so, so I picked them all. I tasted some of the less burgundy colored ones and they tasted just like the fully ripe. Id rather have enough to do something with, then just one good ripe berry, so we harvest them all. Ill wash them, freeze them and use for thanks giving. The 4 plants gave me 4 cups, just enough . they're in pots so take up no room in the garden. Not worth the money, but still cool. I figured Ill break even in about 75 years if the plants keep producing at a this rate
Im pretty sure there is an old thread ( probably in 2018) about my cranberry tour/ picking experience, but ill include a few photos here.
The pics with the trucks in it are the pros. The pics of the berry scoop and the two idiots standing with rakes in the middle of a bog full of cranberries ) are me and my wife for th photo op.
what are you going to do with it.
