All about cranberries!

Nearly all of the country's supply of cranberries comes from the states of Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington. These states support the climate and growing conditions needed for cranberries to thrive. That's right, the cranberries growing in our backyard could eventually end up on the thanksgiving table of someone across the country.

Cranberries are often grown in field-sized depressions that are wet and marshy due to the high moisture required for cranberries to thrive and the methods used to protect and harvest them. These fields aren't always flooded or marshy. In fact, controlling how much water is in these bogs is an important part of a successful cranberry harvest, and it keeps cranberry farmers busy year round.

Due to popular commercials about cranberry harvesting, many people think that cranberries grow underwater. This isn't the case. Cranberries need water to survive, like all plants, but they won't actively grow while submerged or in standing water. What does make the cranberry plant special is the fact that it can survive underwater for months during the winter. After the harvest and just before winter temperatures become dangerous to the cranberry vines, the cranberry bogs are flooded to protect the the plants from sub-zero temperatures and frigid winter winds. The bog is drained in the spring so the plants can flower and produce fruit. It isn't filled with water again until harvest.

There are two possible methods of harvesting cranberries: dry harvesting and wet harvesting. Wet harvesting is how most cranberries are gathered. Those berries are destined to become juices, jellies, and dried fruit. Because cranberries contain pockets of air, they readily float to the surface, which makes harvesting a simple process. The other method, dry harvesting, involves collecting the cranberries before flooding the bog. The fresh cranberries you buy at the store were likely all harvested dry.