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The tart little Cranberry, from most accounts, has risen from the very humblest of origins—a
swamp no less—to occupy a place of honor and traditionalism on almost every holiday table
in America. Cranberries are now just about as American as apple pie, especially at
Thanksgiving. Although there is little evidence that cranberry sauce was served at the first
Thanksgiving, it has always been assumed that the Indians brought it to the famous
harvest feast of 1621. Early records do show that the Indians first introduced this little
crimson berry to the Pilgrims in 1620 and that it has had a place on the American table ever
since.
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The “First Thanksgiving” or the Harvest Celebration Feast.
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Cranberries, as documented by the Pilgrims, were found growing abundantly in the wild
around Massachusetts. They were first used by Native Americans, who discovered the wild
berry's versatility. In fact, long before the Pilgrims arrived in 1620, Native Americans used
cranberries in a variety of foods, the most popular was pemmican - a high protein
combination of crushed cranberries, dried deer meat and melted fat—a high energy
convenience food that kept for long periods. Other accounts mention the Indians cooking
cranberries with maple sugar or honey, using the fruit as a source of dye, and even as a
medicine - by pounding the berries into a pulp that was spread on wounds to "draw the
poison out." It is also reported that The Delaware Indians in New Jersey were reported to
have used the cranberry as a symbol of peace.
Cranberries at sea…History also documents that the American cranberry played a significant
role in American History at sea. In the early Colonial days, Ships carried barrels of
cranberries on long voyages as a scurvy preventative for the crews. Also, in the days of the
great sailing ships, American cranberries were exported to Europe by simply packing them in
barrels and covering them with water whereby they would remain in good shape throughout
the long sea voyage.
The Cranberries have had a variety of different names since their discovery. Eastern
Indians called them “sassamanesh”. The Cape Cod Pequot’s and the South Jersey Leni-
Lenape’s tribes named them “iabimi”, or bitter berry. The Algonquin’s of Wisconsin called
the fruit “atoqua”. There is some uncertainty as to the exact derivation of the name
“cranberry”. The most common theory comes from the English “Crane berry”, which is
believed to have resulted from the fact that the stamens of the plant resemble the head
and neck of the Sandhill Crane.
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Other theories include the German “Kraanbere” or the Dutch, “kranebere”, both of which
share the association of cranes being attracted to the cranberry bog; even though they don’
t appear to actually eat the cranberries.
The American Cranberry, along with the blueberry and Concord grape, is one of North
America’s three native fruits that are commercially grown. The cranberry, scientifically know
as “Vaccinium macrocarpon, is native to the swamps and bogs of northeastern North
America”, and is also the state berry of Massachusetts. It belongs to the Heath, or
Heather family (Ericaceae), which is a very widespread family of about 125 genera and
about 3500 species.
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The American Cranberry in full Bloom……
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The cranberry plant is described as a low-growing, woody perennial with small, oval leaves
borne on fine, vine-like shoots. Horizontal stems, or runners, grow along the soil surface,
rooting at intervals to form a dense mat. Its flower buds, formed on short, upright shoots,
open from May to June and produce ripe fruit in late September to early October. Blossoms
first appear during the 1st to 2nd week of June, and berries are usually not fully ripe until
the first week of October, which is when most growers begin to harvest their bogs.
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There are more than 100 varieties of cranberries
that grow in North America. On Cape Cod, two
varieties are harvested commercially, the “Early
Black” which is dark purple in color and
harvested in September, and the “Later Howes”
that is larger, lighter in color and matures in
October. In addition to Massachusetts, the
major growing areas for cranberries are New
Jersey, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, and in
the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and
Quebec. Additional regions with cranberry
production include Delaware, Maine, Michigan,
New York, Rhode Island, as well as the
Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova
Scotia, Ontario and Prince Edward Island.
Altogether the entire cranberry industry is
supported by approximately 47,000 acres, of
which 14,000 are in Massachusetts. Normally,
growers do not have to replant since an
undamaged cranberry vine will survive
indefinitely. Some vines in Massachusetts are
more than 150 years old
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16 Month Cranberry Growing Cycle
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Native Distribution Map of the Cranberry in North America.
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Cranberries are a unique fruit. The cranberry is a Native American wetland fruit which grows
on trailing vines like a strawberry. They tend to grow naturally in what would otherwise be
wastelands. Contrary to popular belief, cranberries do not grow in water. Instead, they
grow on vines in impermeable beds layered with sand, peat, gravel and clay. Many of
these natural beds, commonly known as "bogs," were originally made by glacial deposits
more than 10,000 years ago. These tiny little crimson berries can only grow and survive
under a very special combination of factors. The magic combination of factors include…an
acid/ peat soil, a sandy bog, an adequate supply of fresh water and a growing season that
stretches from April to November; including a dormancy period in the winter months that
provides an extended chilling period which is necessary to mature the fruiting buds.
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Anatomy of a Cranberry Bog
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Documentation indicates that the cranberry was grown and first harvested in Dennis,
Massachusetts (on Cape Cod), in 1816 – this the first recorded yield in cranberry history.
The commercial cultivation of cranberries was begun in the early 1800s in Dennis,
Massachusetts, by Henry Hall, a veteran of the Revolutionary War. It was Mr. Hall who first
observed that after the prevailing winds and tides swept some sand into his bogs, that an
abundant amount of larger fruits were produced. Over the years it has also been
determined that a moderate amount of sand in the bogs helps to stifle the growth of weeds
without interfering with the cranberry plants, in part because the cranberry vines have
deeper roots.
Water, the life blood of cranberries….. Water is used throughout the year for irrigation and
to protect vines from weather damage in winter and frost in spring and fall. As fall
approaches, water becomes essential to the wet harvesting process. In winter, bogs are
covered with water that freezes and provides insulation from frost. The frozen bogs are
sometimes used by skaters for winter fun and recreation.
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Winter Fun on a Frozen Bog…Cape Cod, MA
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As the winter snow melts and spring arrives, the bogs are drained and cranberry vines are
awakened by gentle rains and warmer days. Soon after spring, light pink blossoms which
resemble the head and neck of the Sandhill Crane begin to appear. As flowers bloom,
honeybees and bumblebees work diligently to pollinate flowers, ensuring a good crop. In
mid-July, petals fall from the flowers leaving tiny green nodes which after weeks of summer
sun, become red, ripe cranberries.
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Cranberries are also known as the "bouncing berry”. This is because the fresher the berry
the better the bounce. According to local legend, the quality “or bounce factor” of the
cranberry was accidentally discovered by Cape Cod legend John “Pegleg” Webb. After an
accident which caused a large number of cranberries to be dropped on the floor John
“Pegleg” noticed that some of the berries bounced off of the hardwood floors while others
didn't. When he realized that the ones that hadn't bounced were inferior or spoiled, the
bounce test was born. In the old days, they were tipped down a small set of steps; the
bad ones remained on the steps because they did not bounce. Modern cranberry separators
use the same principle with each berry having seven chances to bounce over a four-inch
barrier. The highest quality berries end up as fresh fruit and the lower quality berries are
sold for juice or sauces.
There are two methods of harvesting the cranberry—wet and dry. In dry harvesting, a
mechanical picker with metal teeth combs the berries off their stubby vines. Berries picked
by this method supply the fresh market, which accounts for about 15% of the crop. In wet
harvesting, the bogs are flooded with water, and then worked over by giant "eggbeaters."
The berries float to the surface and are corralled onto conveyors to waiting trucks which
take them to receiving station and eventually processing plants.
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Beating the Cranberries from the vines with the Water Reel, nicknamed the “Egg
Beater”
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Corralling the Cranberries
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Corralling Cranberries up the vacuum onto the conveyor belt
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Berries coming off the conveyor belt into trucks.
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With more than 500 Massachusetts growers producing 38 percent of the nation's cranberry
supply, this little red berry has become the number one food crop in Massachusetts. The
cranberry industry provides more than 5,500 jobs and more than $200 million to the
Massachusetts economy. Massachusetts cranberry growers have much to celebrate at
harvest time - the serene setting of cranberries being harvested; the beauty of the
surrounding fall foliage; and the fruits of their long laboring year. But most importantly
the pride and knowledge that they are continuing a tradition that is an important part of
the Massachusetts and American Heritage.
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Beautiful Massachusetts Fall Foliage Reflecting against a Cranberry Bog.
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Major Events in the History of Cranberry Production
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1550 Native Americans use cranberries for food, dyes and medicine
1620 Pilgrims learn to use cranberries from the Native Americans
1683 Cranberry juice made by settlers
1816 Captain Henry Hall first cultivated cranberries in Dennis, Massachusetts
1820's Cranberries shipped to Europe for sale
1838 First record of ice sanding on bogs and flooding first used to control insects and prevent frost
damage
1843 Eli Howes cultivated Howes variety of cranberries in East Dennis, Massachusetts
1845 "An Act for the Protection of Cranberries on Gay Head" put forth by Gay Head Indians on
Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts
1847 Cyrus Cahoon cultivated Early Black variety of cranberries in Harwich, Massachusetts
1850's First cranberry scoops used for harvest and water harvesting tried, but abandoned; sailors use
cranberries to prevent scurvy at sea
1854 First census of cranberry acreage - 197 acres in Barnstable County, MA.
1856 The Cranberry and Its Culture published by Benjamin Eastwood
1863 U. S. Department of Agriculture created Massachusetts Agricultural College (University of
Massachusetts); Abraham Lincoln proclaims first national Thanksgiving
1868 100 lb. barrel of cranberries sold for fifty-eight cents in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1870's Six quart pail used as standard picking measure
1887 Snap scoop invented for younger vines by Daniel Lumbert
1888 Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association formed in Massachusetts
1906 Henry J. Franklin began formal agricultural research on cranberries
1907 First market cooperative founded, New England Cranberry Sales Company
1910 Cranberry Experiment Station research facility established in Wareham, Massachusetts; Dr. Henry
J. Franklin named first director; more efficient rocker scoop used
1912 Hayden cranberry separator patented. First cranberry sauce marketed, Hanson, Massachusetts
1920 Oscar Tervo invented first mechanical ride-on dry harvester known as Mathewson. Telephone
frost warning system started
1923 Bailey Separator patented to grade and separate cranberries by bouncing the berries
1930 Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. formed as a grower owned marketing cooperative
1947 Walk behind mechanical dry harvesters replaced hand scooping
1953 First million barrel national crop
1959 Cranberry scare causes industry market crash
1960's First successful water harvesting; sprinkler systems installed on most bogs; cranberry products
diversify and market expands
1970's Integrated Pest Management programs developed
1980's International markets developed for cranberries; demand for cranberry juice and juice blends
rise dramatically
1990's Diversified cranberry products become ingredients in other foods; global demand for cranberry
products continues to grow; new plantings of cranberries increase in an attempt to meet growing demand;
cranberry prices reach an historic high
1997 An over supply of cranberries, plus other economic and business hurdles, cause a dramatic drop
in cranberry prices, causing an economic uncertainty and a destabilizing of the cranberry industry
2000's With cranberry supply better matching demand, cranberry prices begin to stabilize and the
industry begins to return to profitability
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Resource List for Further Study
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- Burrows, Fredrika A. CANNONBALLS AND CRANBERRIES. William S. Sultwold, Taunton, 1974.
- Eck, Paul. THE AMERICAN CRANBERRY. Rutgers University Press, New Jersey, 1990.
- Jasperson, William. CRANBERRIES. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1991.
- Johnson, Charles W. BOGS OF THE NORTHEAST. University Press of New England, 1985.
- Kusler, Jon A. OUR NATIONAL WETLAND HERITAGE. A PROTECTION GUIDEBOOK. The Environmental Law
Institute, Washington, D. C, 1983.
- Lyons, Janet. WALKING THE WETLANDS. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1989.
- Milne, Louis J. THE MYSTERY OF THE BOG FOREST. Dodd, Mead, & Company, New York, 1984.
- Newcomb, Lawrence. NEWCOMB'S WILDFLOWER GUIDE. Little, Brown, & Company, Boston, 1977.
- Niering, William A. WETLANDS: THE AUDUBON SOCIETY NATURE GUIDES. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
- Peterson, Roger Tory. WILDFLOWERS: PETERSON FIELD GUIDES. Houghton Mifflin Company,Boston,
- Thomas, Joseph. CRANBERRY HARVEST. Spinner Publications, New Bedford,
- Weller, Milton. FRESHWATER MARSHES: ECOLOGY AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT. University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, 1981.
- Wilson, Ron. THE MARSHLAND WORLD. Blandford Press, Dorset, 1982.
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A view of a flooded cranberry bog
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