In southeastern Massachusetts, cranberries destined for Thanksgiving tables are harvested from the Rocky Meadow bog, where they lend a pinkish-crimson hue to the water. Workers, submerged waist-deep, guide the berries towards a pump that transfers them onto trucks. These trucks carry the berries to a facility where they are separated from debris and processed into various products such as sauce, juice, or dried cranberries.
The cranberry plants, native to the wetlands, begin their growth cycle in May and are harvested by flooding the bogs, allowing the berries to be shaken free from the vines and float to the surface for collection.
"The season has been pretty good this year. We've had a pretty good crop," commented Steve Ward, a local cranberry farmer, highlighting the productivity of the current harvest season which spans from September to early November. Ward anticipates a yield of 15,000 to 20,000 barrels, marking his best output in three years, with the majority destined for Ocean Spray.
Massachusetts, home to nearly 300 cranberry bogs across 5,665.60 hectares, is expected to produce 2.2 million barrels of cranberries this year, a 12% increase from the previous year. The state ranks as the second-largest cranberry producer in the U.S., trailing Wisconsin, with an industry history dating back to the 1800s.
Despite the industry's growth, Massachusetts farmers face challenges including trade wars, price drops, and overproduction. Some have diversified by integrating solar panels near their bogs. Ward, for instance, has invested in solar energy and is exploring the potential of floating solar panels on his water reservoirs.
Additionally, the Massachusetts Cranberries group has noted that climate change poses a threat to production, with rising temperatures and prolonged dry spells impacting the harvest. "We are having more 90-degree (32 degrees Celsius) days clumped together... Cranberries need cooler temperatures at night," Ward explained, indicating the environmental adjustments farmers must contend with.
Source: AP News