Naturalist’s Corner – Cranberries!

Naturalist’s Corner – Cranberries!

Posted October 7, 2019

Written by Kyla Isakson

In Wareham, and many surrounding towns in southeastern MA, fall signifies the time for cranberry harvests. First cultivated from a wild variety in the early 1800s, cranberries grow in wet, acidic soils on vines that make up the bogs. The harvest consists of a dry harvest by hand or with a picker, and a wet harvest, when the bogs are flooded, and the ripe berries float on the water’s surface. A boom, or a large floating tube, is used to gather the floating cranberries so that they can be collected and sorted for various uses, including juices, sauces, and desserts.

Check out Douglas S. Westgate Conservation Area on Papermill Road in West Wareham to explore the cranberry bogs on a beautiful nature walk or visit your local cranberry company!

(C) Wareham Land Trust ~ provided by New Bedford Internet