Cranberries in My City

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Many people associate cranberry growing with the north eastern states. While they DO grow cranberries, Wisconsin grows more!

In fact, Wisconsin produces 30% of the world's cranberries and over half of the cranberries in the United States.

My city is located smack dab in the middle (is the county seat in fact) of a cranberry growing county.


If you look at this graphic from The Wisconsin State Cranberry Grower's Association web page, you will find Wood County, my county, right in the middle of the state. You will see that it is Raspberry PINK because we raise the MOST cranberries of any Wisconsin county.

Some people have no idea how cranberries grow, and we are NOT above going into lengthy detailed descriptions of the huge trees in the cranberry orchards. OF COURSE we keep our fingers crossed the whole time.


In reality the cranberry plant is a relatively low growing plant. They grow in long, usually rectangular, low areas called bogs or marshes. Each bog is separated from the surrounding bogs by raised access road topped banks.


During the growing season, these bogs are not as easily visible as the plants are green. But in the fall, after harvest, and during the winter (if they aren't snow covered) they are a deep maroon.


Cranberry growing requires a lot of water, so bogs are most frequently found in areas where plenty of water is available. This natural marshy area is directly across the highway from the cranberry bogs shown above.

Water is important to cranberry growing for more than just to water the plants. Whenever frost threatens, sprayers are turned on which cover the plants and berries with water to keep them from freezing and being damaged. Many is the night that cranberry growers are up all night keeping the berries safe.


One cranberry harvest method involves completely flooding the bogs. The cranberries are then removed from their stems and float to the surface of the water so they can be corralled and scooped up.




These currently popular Ocean Spray commercials were filmed during cranberry harvest.

And that, my friends, is the tale of cranberries in my City.

Thanks to Unknown Mami for hosting
"Sundays in My City"
To which I am linking this post.

Photo Credit: Cranberry Harvest by Keith Weller

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