THE FIRST HARVEST OF CRANBERRIES
Cranberries were introduced to the English settlers in Massachusetts in the early 1800’s and the first farmed cranberries were grown in Cape Cod. Over half of the United States crop is grown in Wisconsin. Massachusetts is the second largest producer followed by New Jersey, Oregon and Washington. Canada is also a big player with over 20% of the world’s cranberries grown in the province of British Columbia. Cranberries are also grown in New Brunswick, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Quebec. Eastern Canada’s cooler weather is especially ideal for growing organic cranberries and more than 80% of the organic cranberries are grown in Quebec. The cold weather helps to prevent fungus from forming. The cold weather, just like with citrus, also helps to bring out the full flavor and deep color of the fruit.
Cranberry Bog: First dry harvested for fresh cranberries and then filled with water to harvest cranberries for processing.
Cranberries grow on vines planted in bogs
Cranberries are grown on vines planted in bogs with a mixture of moist acid peat soil and sand which allows them to thrive in harsh weather conditions. Cranberries turn from green to white to a deep red, telling the grower they are ready to be harvested. All fresh cranberries are dry harvested between mid-September through early November. Cranberries sold for the fresh market are dry harvested and make up less than 5% of the entire cranberry harvest. Mechanical pickers are pushed through the bog like a lawnmower, combing the vines and depositing the cranberries into burlap bags.
The cranberries are taken to a facility to be washed and then sorted through a machine to pick out any soft berries. Good berries will bounce because of their air pockets. The soft berries will not bounce and therefore will not make the cut to be packaged for fresh berries. Some growers use an optical sorter to pick out only the red berries. Lastly the berries move on a conveyor belt where workers pick out any light colored berries that might have slipped through.
The remaining 95% of cranberries are wet harvested and used to make juices, concentrates, sauces, dried fruit and as ingredients in processed foods. The bogs are flooded with water from a reservoir area which can take a few hours up to a few days depending on the size of the bog. Water reels move through the bog and the wheels knock the berries off the vines. The berries will then float to the surface because of the tiny air pockets inside them. The cranberries are then corralled by a person wading through the bog pulling large vinyl booms around the berries. From there the cranberries are then vacuumed out of the bog onto a tractor trailer bed.
All fresh cranberries are dry harvested between mid-September through early November.
Cranberries are incredibly good for you and are not just for enjoying during the holiday season. Eaten fresh, frozen or dried, cranberries are high in vitamin C, fiber and vitamin E and packed with antioxidants. Cranberries are said to help prevent urinary tract infections, improve immune function, decrease blood pressure and help fight cancer. One half of cup of cranberries has only 25 calories!
Fun Facts:
Cranberries will last for a year in the freezer and can be frozen in the package they come in.
Cranberries are one of the few fruits native to North America and many of the cultivars have been propagated directly from these ancient wild super-foods.
They were initially called ‘craneberries’ because the flower, stem and calyx resembled the neck, head and bill of a crane.
Cranberries boast many nutritional benefits including promoting urinary tract health, protecting beneficial gut microbial and providing a wide range of phytochemical and micro-nutrient for overall immunity and health. Learn more on the health benefits.
Organic cranberries are free and devoid of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers.
Recipe Ideas:
*Toss a handful of fresh cranberries with pears or apples for a delicious sweet/tart salad
*Muddle fresh cranberries with your favorite vinegar and blend with olive for a tangy salad dressing
*Thanksgiving is the perfect time to make Satsuma cranberry sauce with Satsuma Mandarin juice and chopped up peel from Side Hill Citrus Satsumas from Lincoln, CA. The Side Hill Satsuma season is set to start up the week of October 21st!
* Dip fresh cranberries in milk chocolate and freeze them for 5 minutes
* Make a holiday shrub with cranberries, sugar and vinegar. Perfect for cocktails at home and the perfect holiday gift. Add seltzer water to any shrub for a refreshing drink anytime.
*Add a few mandarin slices and fresh cranberries to this delicious Hot Spiced Cranberry Cider.
Earl’s is offering a variety of pack sizes of organic cranberries this holiday season. GreenBelle Biodynamic cranberries from Wisconsin are now available in 8oz and 12oz cello bags. Biodynamic agriculture treats the farm, including soil, plants and animals, as a single interrelated and self-sustaining ecosystem. Bulk cranberries will be available soon from Black Moon out of Oregon. It’s never too early to stock up!