Did you know 27% of the world’s cranberries come from Massachusetts?
It’s not exactly the best-known statistic around, but it’s a fact residents of the state are proud of nonetheless. The cranberry industry is Massachusetts’ number one agricultural crop, according to the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association. What’s more, leaders of the growers association maintain that Massachusetts is where the cranberry industry was born.
Which means if you plan to visit the area during harvest season you are in for a real treat. In the early autumn months the New England state best known for its ties to American history explodes with color and flavor. Not only will you and your family get to sample the crimson red fruit at its peak, you’ll also witness a breathtaking scene most people only get to see on TV.
The flooding of the cranberry bogs attracts tens of thousands of visitors to the state each fall. When the bog is flooded the crystal blue water provides a picturesque backdrop to the bright red fruit. Add to that the breathtaking New England foliage, which surrounds the bogs and you have the makings of a picture perfect Cape Cod post card.
The trick is timing your trip when the bogs are flooded. According to cranberry growers, 90% of the time, cranberry bogs are dry. The water is only added when the farmers are ready to pick the crop. After the bog is flooded, harvesters drive around and knock berries off the vines, which causes them to float. Tourists are then able to watch workers round up the berries using special equipment in a process called corralling. Once the berries are gathered together they are sent to a loading area where a pump truck sucks them off the bog. The cranberries are then cleaned, dumped in the back of tractor trailers, and sent to the market.
Sounds like a great place to take your children to teach them that cranberries don’t grow in the canned food section of the grocery store. Cranberry harvest season lasts about eight weeks, and ends during the first week of November.
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