It’s a rather old story, especially for those of us whose family history is rooted in southeastern Massachusetts and the surrounding area: The story of the cranberry.
My family relied on the annual cranberry harvest to provide seasonal jobs. The screening of cranberries, a process of culling less-than-desirable berries as they sped by on conveyer belts in cold “screen houses,” was a job my grandmother, Mary Ransom Billard, did annually. My son’s paternal family members all worked the bogs at various times, some making a career of bog management from damp bogs to the processing plants’ inventory control. Even I spent a season “dry picking,” a backbreaking exercise that left me tired, humbled, and with a full appreciation and respect for the lives of migrant agricultural workers.
I digress.
A quick look at the history of the berry finds us going all the way back to when thick glaciers covered the continent. The glacial movement that eventually freed the land also carved out swamps and kettle ponds, some of which became perfect locations for vines to grab on and spread.
The Wampanoags’ name for the cranberry is ‘sasumuneash.’ The indigenous people understood the nutrient value derived from these sour berries. Ever resourceful, the Native Americans would y and mash the cranberries into a food known as ‘pemmican,’ a mixture of the dried fruits, animal fat, and dried meats. This food source could be stored for months, which must have been one way that early locals staved off starvation in the winter.
You may be surprised to learn that early European explorers to the region already knew about cranberries; there were bogs throughout the Netherlands’ southern regions and parts of England. By the 1880s, Plymouth County recorded some 1,347 acres of berries under cultivation. As noted above, the cranberry industry has been a critical agricultural and economic driver in the region for many generations. Maybe there are senior citizens still around today who remember being allowed to leave school to help with the cranberry harvest.
And so it is fitting that the Marion Natural History Museum recently hosted a virtual presentation by Dawn Gates-Allen, cranberry grower and member of the UMass Cranberry Station in Wareham. We learned that today’s cranberry growers are better able to protect the cranberry industry and the environment by using modern technology. For this presentation, modern technology also granted the viewer a “ride-along” experience. As Gates-Allen transmitted her movement across a cranberry bog, she explained how the process of cultivation takes place in the 21st century.
But first, Gates-Allen took the time to share the beauty that can be found in and around a bog. Most bogs are located deep in forested areas far from view. She said that natural and human-made water sources are critical to the bog’s survival and that an irrigation step system for gravity-fed water flow is part of the design. Gates-Allen said that birds, including eagles, are often seen around bogs, as well as deer, fox, coyotes, and a vast number of small mammals. The bogs and the water system add to the natural environment, she said.
The bog ditches are used to manage the rise and fall of water, with Gates-Allen pointing out that cranberry growers are the ultimate water experts. Flumes are used to increase or decrease the amount of water flowing into and out of a bog. She said that keeping the flumes clear of fallen trees and other debris is essential in maintaining a healthy bog in good working order. Today, automated irrigation systems using weather data and, in some cases, solar power, help to minimize the need for energy consumption and freshwater, further adding to the health of the environment.
Ever mindful of the need to not only use resources to the best economic efficiency but for keeping the environment clean, Gates-Allen said chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers are sparingly used and held to the standards suggested by the UMass Extension Service. She explained a thorough process whereby insects are captured in nets to ascertain their number and type to determine whether or not spraying is necessary and, if so, where.
This time of year, bogs are dormant. But that doesn’t mean nothing is happening; the vines are recharging and preparing for next year’s harvest with bud development.
Of the bitter taste of the fresh cranberry, Gates-Allen stated, “Mother Nature gave us this berry with very low sugar but with great versatility.”
To learn more about the cranberries around us, visit ag.umass.edu/cranberry. You may also contact the Marion Natural History Museum at marionmuseum.org.
By Marilou Newell