Cranberries
Cranberries are a native North American fruit that have been commercially harvested since the landing of the pilgrims. Today over 400 million pounds are harvested annually for juice and holiday dinners.
Cranberries are in the same family as blueberries and require the same sandy, acidic soils. They are traditionally planted in wetland bog areas. These areas are then flooded over for harvest and winter protection. Cranberries can be planted in upland areas if winter protection is provided and the soil requirements are met.
Cranberries make an excellent ground cover which also provides a great fall crop. The cranberries we sell are the best of the commercial varieties.
Cranberry Harvest Day is scheduled for October 2012. Please check our website closer to October 2012 for more details.
Harvest Information
The majority of cranberries are harvested between September and October, and occurs in one of two ways. By far the most common is wet or water harvest.
During wet harvest, the beds are flooded and the fruit is “beaten” off the vine using a specialized harvester. The floating fruit is then corralled and loaded onto trucks for delivery to a receiving station. Wet harvested fruit is used for processed cranberry products like juice and sauce.
Dry harvested fruit is “combed” from the vines using a mechanized picking machine. No water is involved during this process. The fruit is loaded into bins and shipped to receiving stations where it is cleaned and packaged as fresh fruit.
Consumer Information
Scientific research is revealing how healthy cranberries can be. Packed with nutrients like antioxidants and other natural compounds, cranberries are a great choice for the health conscious consumer.
Cranberries are available in a wide variety of forms including fresh fruit, juice, sauce, and dried. Juices and sauce are available year-round at your grocery retailer. Fresh fruit is generally available from September to December.
Include more cranberries in your diet and start eating healthier today!
Cranberry Links
