Pulling the Boom

It takes a lot of work to fill a truck with cranberries.

Until the 1960s, cranberries, which grow low to the ground, were picked in a time consuming method. Today, wet or water harvesting is the primary method of harvesting cranberries. The bogs in which the cranberries grow are flooded with 1 - 1 1/2 feet of water the night before the harvest. The next day, the farmers use equipment called egg beaters to knock the berries off of the vines. The berries have air pockets in them and they float to the surface. The farmers then "coral" the berries by wading through the bog and forcing the fruit into one area with large rakes. The berries are then further confined with floating booms and suctioned onto a truck. They are taken to a factory where they are washed and canned or used in drinks and sauces. Berries that are dry harvested are often sold as fresh cranberries because they are handled less harshly in the harvesting process.

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