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CRANBERRIES
IN MASSACHUSETTS |
History:
The Wampanoag Indians introduced the cranberry to the Pilgrims after they landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. The pink blossoms on the berry vines reminded them of cranes so they called it the "crane-berry." In time it was shortened to cranberry.
Facts:
1. Cranberries are one of North America's three native fruits. Concord grapes and blueberries are the others.
2. Five states in the U.S.A. harvest cranberries:
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- Wisconsin
- Oregon
- Washington
3. It takes 3 to 5 years before a bog will bear fruit.
4. Harvesting of cranberries begins right after Labor Day and goes throughout the fall. In the early days the crop was picked by hand and the whole town turned out for harvest.
5. Cranberries back then were then combed from the vines for over a hundred years with a wooden scoop.
6. Since 1940 machines have been used to gather crops.
7. There are two types of harvesting:
- Wet Harvesting
- Dry Harvesting
8. Cranberries contain Vitamin C. Long ago, sailors ate cranberries to prevet a disease named scurvey.
9. Swallows and other birds are very helpful to the cranberry grower because they eat many insects that could harm crops. The growers build birdhouses on the bogs for the birds.
10. the cranberry cycle is as follows:
- SEPTEMBER (Fall) - Harvest Begins.
- DECEMBER (Winter) - Bogs are flooded to prevent the cold weather and frost from killing the vines.
- APRIL (Spring) - Bogs are drained and growth begins.
- JULU (Summer) - Cranberry vines blossom.
- SEPTEMBER (Fall) - Harvest Begins...
Cranny's favorite places. |
Links to more cranberry info:
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