cranberry bog tours near me 2023

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• Cranberry Bogs

All-in-One Guide to Cape Cod Cranberry Harvesting Season

Updated: July 20, 2024

During Cape Cod cranberry harvesting season, visitors come from far and wide to see acres of shiny, crimson berries floating on our local bogs.

Want to know what the harvest is all about and how you can see it in person?

Or maybe your bucket list includes wading into a bog, surrounded by floating cranberries?

I've created this "All-in-One Guide to Cape Cod Cranberry Harvesting Time" just for you!

Table of Contents

• What is a cranberry bog?  
• When is cranberry harvesting season on Cape Cod?
• How cranberries are harvested
• Best places to watch the harvest
• Where to find guided cranberry bog tours

What is a Cranberry Bog?

Simply put: a cranberry bog is a large, open field where cranberries are grown.

So, where are the berries?

Many harvest-watching newbies are surprised to learn that cranberries don't grow on trees or bushes. They don't grow in water, either.

Instead, they grow on low-to-the-ground vines in a special combination of sand, peat and other organic matter.

* See this article from University of Massachusetts' Cranberry Station to learn all about how cranberries are grown.

When is Cape Cod Cranberry Harvest Season?

Harvesting season begins in mid-September and reaches its peak in mid- to late October.

By mid-November, the season is pretty much over. :(

Coming to the Cape especially to see the cranberry harvest?

Planning your visit can be a bit challenging because cranberry farmers don’t often announce their harvesting schedules ahead of time. In the "Bogs to Visit" section below, I’ll give you a general idea of when the harvests typically start at each bog. Once the season kicks off, I keep this page updated with the latest dates and locations for ongoing harvests. So, make sure to bookmark this page and check back frequently for updates!

How Cranberries are Harvested

What will you see on harvest days?

That depends on which method the farmers are using to pick the berries:

• Wet harvesting - Also known as "water harvesting", the berries are gathered from a flooded bog.
• Dry harvesting - Picking machines are used to gather the fruit from a dry bog.

Wet Harvesting

This is what everyone flocks to our local bogs to see!

It's a multi-day process that starts as water is pumped into the bog from a nearby lake or retention pond.

Next, the farmers drive water-reel machines (a/k/a "egg beaters") through the flooded bog.

The reels churn just below the water's surface, knocking the cranberries off the vines.

Then, more water is released into the bog, bringing the water level up a few more inches so the berries can float freely.   

Why Do Cranberries Float?

Inside a cranberry, little "air pockets" surround the fruit's tiny seeds.

The air pockets make the berries buoyant, so they float!

How long are the berries left floating?

Not long! 

Once the berries are off their vines, the crop is usually brought in within the next 24 hours or so.  

* Tip: If you drive by a bog and see cranberries floating, there's a pretty good chance you'll find the farmers bringing in their crop later that day or the next morning. 

How are the cranberries removed from the bog? 

First, the farmers surround the floating berries with a long length of "boom" material.

Next, the farmers gradually tighten the boom and push the  corralled berries toward an underwater vacuum system that sucks the berries through a large hose and up to the wash plant.

As the berries go through the wash plant, weeds and other debris are separated out and fed into another truck for disposal.

Finally, the rinsed cranberries drop into the bed of a tractor-trailer for transport to a processing facility.

Did You Know?

Wet-harvested cranberries are processed for juices, canned sauces and other commercially-made products.  

Dry-harvested berries are sold fresh at bog-side stands, farm markets and grocery stores.

Dry Harvesting

Only a small fraction of Cape Cod's cranberry crop is dry harvested. So having a chance to see this process is an extra-special experience (IMHO)!

No flooding is involved with this method. Actually, it's just the opposite. For a successful dry harvest, the berries must be free of moisture.

The farmers use a picker machine to "comb" the berries from the vines and deposit them into a container.

Then the berries are sorted to remove any damaged or over-ripe fruit and bog debris.

And finally, the most delicious cranberries you've ever tasted are bagged and ready for sale. :-)

Kept cool and dry (not rinsed!), fresh cranberries will stay good for a month or more.

They also freeze well for up to a year.

Where to Watch the Cranberry Harvest

*Friendly Reminder: When you visit these bogs, please respect all "Private Property" signs, and make sure not to leave any trash or dog poop behind.

If these guidelines aren't followed, farmers might stop allowing visitors to watch the harvest. Let's all do our part to keep it enjoyable and accessible for everyone! 

Topping my list of the best places on Cape Cod to watch the cranberry harvest is ...   

Fresh From the Vine Cranberry Farm

300 Main Street (Route 28) West Yarmouth, MA

What makes this bog so special?

Chris and Lindsay Wilson, owners of Fresh From the Vine , are a super-friendly, hard-working team who thoroughly enjoy sharing their love of cranberry farming with all of us.

They welcome the public to watch them at work in the bog ... and they tell us when to come see the harvest ! 

* Follow Fresh From the Vine on Facebook to find out when they plan to flood the bog and corral the crop.

There's plenty of safe, off-street parking here. That's a real plus, especially when you have little ones in tow!

Want to buy fresh cranberries? (Hint, hint: Yes, you do!)

The Wilsons sell their dry-harvested berries at their Fresh From the Vine farm stand right there by the bog.

The stand is open nearly every day from around the second week in October until they've sold out their entire crop, usually around mid-November.

Old Colony Bog

Knob Hill Road & Mayflower Terrace South Yarmouth, MA

This big, beautiful cranberry bog stretches nearly the entire length of Knob Hill Road and Mayflower Terrace. So there's plenty of room to watch and take photos from the roadside when the berries are floating!

You can also reach Old Colony Bogs from the Cape Cod Rail Trail Bike Path: 

• Get off the Rail Trail at the North Main Street/North Dennis Road crossing in South Yarmouth. Then go north, across the bridge over Rt. 6. You'll see Knob Hill Road on your right, just after you've crossed the bridge.

*2024 Update: I'll start watching for harvest activity at Old Colony Bogs in mid-October.

More Bogs in Yarmouth

With so many acres of active bogs in Yarmouth, there's no shortage of other places to look for harvesting activity around town.

You'll find a few more spots to watch in the areas around:

• 363 W. Yarmouth Road; and
• 95 Winslow Gray Road ( Syrjala Conservation Area walking trail to bogs)

FYI: The only place to park on West Yarmouth Rd. is along the road shoulder. Park at your own risk! And please be sure not to block the farmers' access to the bogs!!

*2024 Update: Harvesting usually begins at these bogs around Columbus Day weekend. 

Beaton's Discovery Hill (Rt. 6A) Bog

295 Route 6A East Sandwich, MA

Looking for a harvest in September? This is one of the first places on Cape Cod where we see it happening.

Watch for the farmers bringing in the crop at this bog during the third week in September. 

You'll find limited, off-road parking alongside Rt. 6A.

* 2024 Update: Last year's harvest happened on September 12th, a week earlier than usual by special request from Ocean Spray. I expect they'll go back to their normal schedule in 2024.

Thacher Cranberries

Great Western Road Harwich, MA

Cycling enthusiasts: this one's for you!

As you ride along the Cape Cod Rail Trail in Harwich, you'll pass by Thacher Cranberries on Great Western Road.

You can get here by car, too. Head to the area around 201 - 280 Great Western Road. Just be aware that there's very little safe parking alongside the road.

*2024 Update: Watch for wet harvesting to start here in early October.

Hall's Cape Cod Cranberries

Depot Road Harwich, MA

This is another great stop along the Cape Cod Rail Trail in Harwich!

Farmed by generations of the Hall family, this bog is at the Depot Street trailhead on the Rail Trail.

If you're coming by car, you'll find a small parking area across the street from this iconic building ...

When will you see cranberries floating at Halls' bogs?

Harvests here usually begin around the third week in October.

*2024 Update: Last year I saw the first harvesting activity at  Halls' Depot bog on October 23rd. Follow Halls Cape Cod Cranberries on Facebook for their occasional posts. 

A Bit of Cape Cod Cranberry History

Here's what Ocean Spray's cranberry warehouse looked like a century ago:

See the ad on the side of building? It's a little faded now, but it's still there!

Cranberry Bogs in Falmouth

There's a lot of cranberry-growing acreage in the town of Falmouth, too!

When the calendar turns to October, here's where my Falmouth-area friends go to watch the harvest.

There's limited off-street parking, mainly on the road shoulder, in each of these locations.

• Old Barnstable Road to Carriage Shop Road There's a large area of bogs stretching between 143 Old Barnstable Road and 714 Carriage Shop Road in East Falmouth. (Street addresses are approximate.)
• E. Falmouth Hwy. (Rt. 28) Bogs - in the area of 633 E. Falmouth Hwy., East Falmouth, near Rocky's Gym.
• Wing Pond Conservation Area Bogs - walk-able via Wing Pond Woods trails. There's a small-ish parking area at the end of a dirt road off Rt. 28A. ( Walking trail info and map ). You can also bike ride to the conservation area bog on the Shining Sea Bikeway. It's about 1.9 miles south of the North Falmouth trailhead.

•   Thomas B. Landers Road Bogs - in the area around 64 Thomas B. Landers Road near the intersection with Turner Road.

* 2024 Update: Last year, work began on the Carriage Shop Road/Old Barnstable Road bogs during the first week in October and finished up on October 16th.

Berries were floating at Wing Pond bogs the weekend of October 21st; and harvesting had finished up at the bogs near Rocky's Gym and on Thomas B. Landers Road.

I expect the harvest timing will be roughly the same this year. Stay tuned!

Where to Find Guided Cranberry Bog Tours

Only two cranberry growers on Cape Cod give guided tours.

And only one offers a special tour where you can wade into the bog. (I've done it. And I have to tell you, it was a mind-blowing experience!)

So let's start there ...

Cranberry Harvest Tours to Walk or Wade

Long-time Cape Cod cranberry farmer, Dave Ross, and his partner, Patty, offer two different types of bog experiences at harvest time:

A walking tour where you'll see the crew at work and learn all about cranberry farming on the Cape ...

And a special wading tour where you can don the waders and climb in among the berries ...

Dave operates cranberry bogs in several different towns on the Cape. So tour locations, dates and times vary from week to week, according to the crew's work schedule.

When you call to make your reservation (required for all tours!), Patty will let you know where and when tours will be available. 

For more information and reservations, see Dave & Patty's Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours website.

Organic Cranberry Farm Tours

On a guided tour of Leo and Andrea Cakounes' property in Harwich, you'll learn all about a year in the life of a working organic cranberry farm.

Over the course of about 90 minutes, Andrea shares her wealth of knowledge about how an organic cranberry bog is formed, planted, tended and harvested.

You'll also have a chance to meet the resident farm animals and learn how they, together with the native birds and bees, all contribute to the success of this organic cranberry farm.

You won't see berries floating on the Cakounes' bogs.

But you'll definitely come away from this tour with new appreciation for the hard work and dedication it takes to bring organic Cape Cod cranberries from the farm to your table!

Advance reservations are required. No drop in's, please!

For details and reservations, see Leo and Andrea's Cranberry Bog Tours website .

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Cranberry Farm Tour

All tours are subject to change due to weather and harvest availability.

Join Pinelands Adventures on a tour of one of the Pinelands’ premier cranberry farms.

You’ll get an overview of the cranberry operation and:

• Meet the farmers and watch them harvest berries in the bog
• Understand how and when bogs are flooded
• Observe the equipment and methods used on the farm
• Learn about wet harvesting

For all cranberry farm tours, please meet at our shop fifteen minutes before the tour time. All tours are subject to change due to weather and harvest availability.

Theodore H. Budd & Sons Cranberry Farm has generously invited us back to explore the farm!

Please Note :  This trip does require a bit of standing and walking (up to 200 or 300 yards).

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The Best Cranberry Bogs to Tour this Fall on Cape Cod

It’s cranberry season on Cape Cod and with just a short drive around the area, you are able to find many bogs being harvested during the fall months. The bright red colors of the berries are absolutely stunning and a beautiful sight to see while visiting Cape Cod this fall. Our guests are always curious about the best time to visit a bog, what tours are being offered, and what to do with the fresh cranberries. Here we will try to answer all of your questions and recommend our favorite Cranberry Bogs on Cape Cod that currently offer tours.

The cranberry is a wild and native fruit of Cape Cod. Cranberries benefit from exposure to sand and grow in marshes and ponds. Cranberry Bogs thrive on Cape Cod because of its unique climate and natural resources. We are fortunate to have so many Cranberry Bogs on the Cape within a short drive from the Inn that guests can enjoy. Visiting one is best during the harvest season which is from mid-September to mid-December . Fall is the ideal time to come observe the berries in all their ripened glory. The bright red berries floating on the surface of the bog make for some amazing fall backdrops. To learn more about cranberry history, check out the Cranberry Growers Association website .

Sure, apples and pumpkins are the go-to “pick your own” for fall, however, our favorite is touring a cranberry bog . Each year we purchase enough fresh cranberries to put in our freezers to last us the entire year so we can bake all our delicious cakes and scones. They are considered an antioxidant-rich “superfruit” loaded with vitamin C. Check out the many health benefits of cranberries here.

There are plenty of farms on Cape Cod where you can tour cranberry bogs. The following three cranberry bog tours are our favorites . You have to plan accordingly and reserve your tour dates.

Cranberry Bog Tours, Harwich

Leo and Andrea Cakounes operate the largest organic cranberry bog on Cape Cod. This bog is located in Harwich, MA , and daily tours of the bog are offered seasonally. During your visit, you will learn about the 12-month operation of a cranberry bog, see the equipment, and visit the farm animals. Bring field glasses or binoculars if you have them, and bring a camera. The tours are by reservation only and last 1.5 hours. The price is $15 per person.

Annie’s Crannies, Dennis

Cranberries have been a part of Annie’s family-long tradition. After working for over 25 years as a Broadway production wardrobe supervisor Annie left her job to start her own tradition of growing cranberries on the Cape. After an extensive search and negotiation, she acquired the Dennis bog formally owned by her grandfather. This endearing bog has a fantastic gift shop that is open during the harvest season. They sell fresh berries, bogside honey, beeswax candles, jams, soaps, and Annie’s Crannies Gift Boxes . Tours start at 11 a.m. daily!

Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tour

This is a fun, interesting, and educational tour of one of Cape Cod’s most historic industries. You will learn about the history and cultivation of cranberries and will see cranberry bogs blooming, growing, or being harvested, depending on the time of the year. Tours are given by growers with over 28 years of knowledge and experience. It’s a walking tour, so wear comfortable walking shoes or sneakers. Also, do not forget your binoculars as there are often sights of interesting local birds and wildlife. Their tours are given directly at the bogs. They operate over 60 acres of bogs in 3 towns. Tours are by advance reservations only. Please call in advance to discuss location and availability. The price for tours is $20 pp. Fresh cranberries are available for sale to pick up or to be shipped from mid-September to December. Fresh cranberries make for a great gift, especially for somebody who bakes cakes, bread, and pies.

Each of these cranberry bogs offers slightly different experiences, however, all of them are a great way to spend a fall day on the Cape. After a day of exploring the Cape Cod cranberry bogs return to our beautifully decorated Inn for fall with plenty of pumpkins, mums, and cranberry-filled freshly baked goodies! Sit back, relax, and enjoy our cozy rooms with fireplaces. Enjoy our homemade breakfast in the morning with more fall-inspired dishes. Book a stay today and take advantage of our enticing fall packages.

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Welcome to Our Cranberry Farm

Leo & Andrea Cakounes operate the largest organic cranberry bog on Cape Cod.  Located in Harwich, MA, daily tours of the bog are offered seasonally.  Learn about the 12 month operation of a cranberry bog.  See the equipment and visit with the farm animals. Please visit our FAQs page to see if our tour is right for your summer fun.   See tour times below and contact us here to book your tour.

*Tours Fill Quickly ~ Reservations Required*

Daily tour schedule, relaxed & informative tour for adults & kids, cape cod bog tour prices.

Adults $20    Children (under 18) $20

We DO NOT accept credit cards

Spring, Summer & Fall Tours

Before and after your tour, you are invited to visit our farm stand and gift shop.

Gifts ~ Farm Fresh Eggs ~ Cranberry-related items

Want to take a cranberry bog tour on Cape Cod? Here are some sweet options

We are rolling into the heart of cranberry harvest season on Cape Cod and are soon to be happily awash in sauce, relish and quick breads. But wouldn't it be great to get out to a bog to see where the miraculous red orbs come from?

Well, you're in the right place. "Massachusetts ranks second in the nation in cranberry production with more than 14,000 acres in production," according to the University of Massachusetts Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment . Folks on Cape Cod have been farming cranberries since the mid 1800s!

And cranberry bog tours are in full swing, both on and off Cape Cod. It's a great chance to learn more about the festive and tasty berry, just in time for Thanksgiving. Depending on the day of the tour, you may not see harvest action, but cranberry bogs are beautiful no matter what.

Here are some options for cranberry bog tours on and beyond Cape Cod:

Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours

Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours offers tours at bogs in Chatham, Barnstable and East Sandwich. Tours cost $20 per person, with a minimum of four people in the group. Smaller groups can be accommodated for a higher cost per person, and large groups can be accommodated by making advance arrangements. Contact them at least 24 hours in advance to make reservations and find out about tour availability at 508-237-5478 or by email at [email protected] . More information is available at their website: capecodcranberrybogtours.com .

Cranberry farm tours in Harwich

Cranberry bog tours are offered by Leo and Andrea Cakounes at their bog in Harwich. You can also see farm animals and visit their farmstand and gift shop. Bog tours cost $20 and credit cards are not accepted. Reservations are required and may be made by calling 508-432-0790. More information is available at their website: cranberrybogtours.com .

Green Briar Nature Center & Jam Kitchen

Green Briar Nature Center & Jam Kitchen in East Sandwich is offering tours of bogs in their area on Oct. 14. as part of their annual Cape Cod Cranberry Day celebration. Tours will be offered at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and space is likely to fill quickly. There is a $10 fee. Tickets can be purchased on their website, thorntonburgess.org . More info available at 508-888-6870.

Massachusetts Cranberries bog bus tours

Massachusetts Cranberries , represented by the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association , offers a cornucopia of tour options, including large group coach tours, school-age education tours and tours for the general public. These tours take place just off-Cape, in and around the Wareham/Carver area. The best way to sort through the offerings is to visit their website at cranberries.org/cranberry-bog-bus-tours . Email the organization at [email protected] for more information about schedules and tickets.

Eric Williams, when not solving Curious Cape Cod mysteries, writes about a variety of ways to enjoy the Cape, the weather, wildlife and other subjects. Contact him at  [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter: @capecast.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription.  Here are our subscription plans .    

New England Bucket List: Wading into a Cranberry Bog

Getting knee-deep into a cranberry bog with waders on has long been an item on my New England bucket list . Did you know cranberries are native to New England, like their cousin the blueberry? Without New England the world would not know the tart-sweetness of this red fruit. (England has a relative, but not quite our cranberry.) From a visit to a Cape Cod Festival years back my family found the recipe for our holiday favorite, Cranberry P’Cake . There are other cranberry bog tours in New England, but we loved our family run tour with Stone Bridge Farms in Acushnet, Massachusetts. It was the coolest thing my family experienced this fall– agreed on by the youngest of us to the senior members.

Table of Contents

A Little about Cranberries

Cranberries are grown in on low-lying vines in clay and sand-lined bogs. Bogs are sort of like valleys and were created by glaciers long ago. These bogs are a unique ecosystem for not only cranberries, but also unique life and there are many around New England. You can read more about them here.

About Stone Bridge Farm

One thing I love about the farm is that it is family-run for over 25 years. Most of the farms around New England are family-run, but also sell their fruit to large distributors such as Ocean Spray.

The cranberry farm sits in a residential neighborhood. There is a marked parking lot. If you take one of the first spots, it is a little confusing where you need to go. We almost knocked on a house door. If you walk to the other side of the parking lot, it will be more obvious to check in at the barn.

The house has a little store in it, with yummy things to buy, as well as cranberries.

How to book a tour at Stone Bridge Farm

Book a tour time online.  Tours are offered every half an hour, 7 days a week for the month of October. They sell out months in advance, so I would recommend booking your tour by the end of July if you want your choice of days and times. The cost is $30 a person. It was a bit confusing to book, because you book one reservation for your whole party and pay for everyone but the first person when you arrive at the farm.

What you Will Learn on the Cranberry Tour

The owners of the farm give the tour, which is pretty cool.

The tour starts with a history of cranberry farming in New England and a view of some of the tools used, both current and antique.

Then we learned about the difference between dry and wet cranberry harvesting. During October, the farm has both a dry bog and a wet blog. It is pretty interesting to compare the two.

I had no idea that all cranberries weren’t picked in flooded bogs! In dry harvesting, the berries are picked, using various methods, from the intact, above ground plants. Dry harvesting is used to get cranberries to use as fruit… pretty cranberries.

It makes sense to learn that wet harvests are quicker. The bog is flooded during a wet harvest and all the berries are reigned in and collected. But the fruit isn’t pretty as it has gone through a lot, so these berries are used for juicing and such.

The Highlight of the Cranberry Tour

The part we all came for- the donning of waders and climbing into the bog for a perfect picture opportunity. It was everything we hoped for and my ten-year-old son did not want to get out.

I was concerned about what shoes to wear as I didn’t want to ruin them getting into the bog. I shouldn’t have worried. You actually take your shoes off and the waders cover your clothing. The bog feels cold through the plastic waders, but you come out just as clean as you went in. The owner is happy to take pictures for you.

In reality, the whole tour was even better than we hoped. I came with two tweens, myself and three seniors. Everyone was educated and entertained. Be sure to add this experience to your New England fall bucket list.

Read on for more fabulous ideas for things to do in New England in fall .

Have you been to a cranberry bog? Tell me about it in the comments.

If you liked it, please share it. Thank you!

4 thoughts on “New England Bucket List: Wading into a Cranberry Bog”

We just finished the tour at Stonebridge Farms and absolutely loved it. We found the tour thanks to your blog. It was a great experience. I told the owners we found them through your blog and they asked for the link as more than one person had told them they found them through your blog.

I am so happy to hear that I helped to bring this experience to you!

Hi, I’m visiting in October. Can I wade into the bog during October?

Although the month of October is when they have farm tours their website says there will be done this year.

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Pine Island Cranberry Co., Inc.

Haines & haines, inc..

PLEASE NOTE: Pine Island Cranberry does not offer tours for groups or for individuals. As a courtesy, we attempt to provide a list of local farms that do. For detailed information about those operations, you will need to contact them directly.

For a look at cranberry history as well as a chance to see the harvest, your best bet is to contact the Whitesbog Preservation Trust for possible dates ; please note that you will need to call ahead of time, as there is no “walk in” availability. EDIT 2023/10/9: the 2023 harvest at Whitesbog is finished but there are still ongoing cranberry events.

This year, Pinelands Adventures is offering a limited number of October dates for a cranberry bog tour at Theodore H. Budd & Sons. SOLD OUT!

Our neighbors at Lee Brothers are offering guided walking tours during their harvest. Reservations are a must, and can be made through their website. SOLD OUT!

The Best Cranberry Bog Tours: A Scarlet Surprise in Massachusetts

October 27, 2020

Vera Andrews

Until you’ve seen the untold  beauty of a raspberry-ripple  cranberry bog, you haven’t lived. Here’s how to find the best cranberry bog tours in Massachusetts.

Table of Contents

The Best Cranberry Bog Tours in Massachusetts: What You Need To Know

I’m a little obsessed with cranberries since visiting Massachusetts.

The tart, bouncy little rounds are the official state berries, growing in bogs that dye the landscape with ruby pools around harvest time.

Perhaps this northeastern state is just like a cranberry – bursting with flavour and juicy history, from the very first settlers in the 17th century to first whispers of revolution against British rule.

Or perhaps I’ve had a little too much cranberry wine…

Two Cranberry Bog Tours in Massachusetts to Try For Yourself

If you fancy wading through these scarlet fields yourself, you’ll need to plan ahead. In most cases, you’ll need to book at cranberry bog tour in advance. And, of course, you have to visit in season. The cranberry harvest runs from mid September to mid November.

Here are some of the best cranberry bog tours, according to locals:

A.D. Makepeace Company

A.D. Makepeace is the Cranberry farm featured in the travel experience article below. Our researcher rated it one of the best cranberry bog tours in Massachusetts.

Where to find it : 158 Tihonet Road, Wareham, 508-322-4028

Stone Bridge Farm

Stone Bridge Farm offers cranberry bog tours during October, which include a guided tour of their farm animals amid their family run business.

Where to find it: 186 Leonard St., Acushnet, 508-951-1551 or 508-951-1902

The History of Cranberries in Massachusetts

As with everything in Massachusetts, you’ll find the cranberry bogs entwined in the history of the founding of modern America.

Like the tart fruit, Massachusetts doesn’t shy away from the sourer aspects of its history. Rather it embraces its past, with all the complexity and injustices – from the destruction of Native American people, cultures and traditions, to the infamous Witch Trials in Salem.

A Different Look At America’s History

An hour south, Plymouth is where New England was established. Brits landed here in 1620, having decided against Cape Cod’s Provincetown due to the lack of water and abundance of angry arrows from the native population.

A replica ship, the Mayflower II, now stands where they docked, while a tiny rock claims to mark where they first stepped on American soil.

Costumed actors stroll elegantly through the Plymouth Colony (a 17th century English village) waxing lyrical about how they came to this land – and suggesting I flirt with some soldiers down the hill.

I am more intrigued by the Patuxet Homesite, giving voice to an often neglected side of America’s history.

Located on the Eel River, this is where visitors can learn more about the Native peoples who have lived here for over 12,000 years.

Abenaki Dan Shears realised the importance of his culture when his grandmother, who taught him about the tribe, passed away. Now his daughter wants to learn the Abenaki language.

“Most people don’t think we exist out here. Unfortunately there is a lot of our culture that has gone and there’s no getting it back,” he tells me.

“We try to reclaim as much as we can.”

Far From Bog Standard

Wampanoags harvested wild cranberries for 12,000 years, often drying them to make pemmican, mixing the berries with dried meat and animal fat for a snack that could last for months. They were also used to treat fever, swelling and sickness.

Now, they’re a tourist attraction.

Before arriving in Massachusetts, I expected to learn about pilgrims and ‘witches’. But bogs?

The state is one of the world’s biggest producers of cranberries, harvesting between mid-October and early November.

The colourful spectacle draws people from around the world. True devotees can don waders and join in at some bogs.

I track down a harvest at an AD Makepeace bog on (where else?) Cranberry Road, Carver.

Parking up, I’m distracted by a labradoodle, fixing me with curious hazel eyes. Forges belongs to Andy, a production manager at the bog.

Fortunately, he loves cranberries. “He’d roll about in those bogs all day if he could,” says Andy.

The fruit grows in low bogs, which are flooded to loosen the berries from the vines. Once they bob to the surface, helped along with water reels or ‘eggbeaters’, they are pumped on to a truck.

The swirl of garnet and the lemon chiffon of semi-ripe berries brings back childhood memories of raspberry ripple ice cream.

I’m with Forges on this one. Who wouldn’t want to dive in?

More on Travel in Massachusetts

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Visiting Cranberry Bogs in Massachusetts

See and Taste New England's Most Colorful Fall Crop

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more photogenic crop than cranberries, which ripen and redden in the fall. In Massachusetts , the cranberry harvest coincides with fall foliage season , providing a double dose of visual splendor. According to the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association, 400 of North America's 1,000 or so cranberry farms are concentrated in Massachusetts: Most are south of Boston in Plymouth County and on Cape Cod .

Any drive in this region during Massachusetts' cranberry harvest season, which typically begins the last week of September and runs through October and sometimes into November, is likely to offer views of cranberry bogs, where growers are hard at work tending and picking the state's top agricultural cash crop. There's a good chance, too, you'll find yourself driving behind dump trucks brimming with red berries.

The Pilgrims discovered cranberries growing wild in bogs near their settlement in Plymouth and christened them "crane berries" because their spring blossoms resemble the shape of the shore bird's head and beak. From their Native American neighbors, the Pilgrims learned to use cranberries not only for food and medicinal purposes but as a natural dye.​

Cranberries are one of only three fruits native to North America that are now cultivated commercially. Like blueberries and Concord grapes, demand for cranberries has escalated worldwide as knowledge of their nutritive properties has increased.

If you'd like to set out on a fall driving tour to visit cranberry bogs in Massachusetts, here are some of your best bets for viewing the harvest in progress and purchasing fresh cranberries and cranberry products.

Mayflower Cranberries

If you want to make sure you don't miss out on the harvesting action at this small cranberry farm, which has three berry-producing bogs, make reservations well in advance for one of Mayflower Cranberries' Harvest Viewing Tours , available on select dates in October and November. If you want to don hip waders and venture into the bog to assist with the harvest, you can opt to reserve Mayflower's two-hour  " Be the Grower" Experience . It's pricey, but it may help you appreciate your day job! These experiences sell out far in advance of the harvest season. The new Adopt-A-Bog experience is also an option. You'll use a wooden scoop to dry harvest your own plot of cranberries and take home 30 pounds of fresh-picked fruit in a wooden crate.

Mayflower Cranberries also has a farm store and ships fresh-picked berries anywhere in the United States.

Flax Pond Farms

Kim Knox Beckius

Flax Pond Farms is an ideal place to learn a bit about the history of cranberry growing in Massachusetts. Inside the shop at Flax Pond Farms, you'll discover an antique Bailey Cranberry Separator that dates to 1924. Kids have a blast watching cranberries that pass a "bounce" test for quality scoot down the shoot and onto the conveyor belt, where they can be manually sorted by color and size. You can observe the machine in operation in this video .

Outside on a bog tour , you might meet grower Jack Angley, who has cultivated cranberries on 35 acres since 1967. Wet harvesting was a new innovation in the late '60s, but without a reliable source of water, which is critical to the process, Angley, his wife Dot, and their team of family and hard-working neighbors have "stayed with dry harvesting."

While picking cranberries with a motorized dry harvester is labor-intensive, it has an advantage. Cranberries that are harvested by flooding bogs are only suitable for processing into concentrate for juice, dried cranberries and other consumer products with an extended shelf life. Only dry harvested cranberries can be sold as fresh, whole berries.

Cranberries are rich in antioxidants and nutrients, and those who have tasted Flax Pond Farms' product come back year after year. Some folks who've visited these bogs on bus trips even call to order fresh-picked cranberries for mail order delivery. While most of the farm's crop is marketed by Massachusetts-based Ocean Spray —the largest cranberry cooperative in the world—2,000 pounds can be sold annually from the family's lovely farm store, where samples of hot mulled cranberry tea are served. 

Rocky Maple Bogs

18 n carver rd.

When radiant red cranberries percolate to the surface of a flooded bog, it is quite a sight. When bogs are flooded using a sprinkler irrigation system, naturally buoyant cranberries wriggle themselves loose from their vines and pop to the surface. Wind propels the berries toward one corner of the bog, and a boom is used to corral the cranberries toward a pump truck or conveyor system on shore. 

You don't have to be on a guided tour to observe wet cranberry harvesting if you happen upon it: Just be respectful of private property, stay out of the bogs and don't ever pick cranberries without permission. After all, these are working farms: not tourist attractions. Rocky Maple Bogs (18 North Carver Road, Wareham, MA) is worth a drive-by if you're hoping to stumble upon a scene like this during cranberry season.

The cranberry beaters, sometimes called "eggbeaters," you may get to see in action don't actually pluck cranberries. Their paddle wheels agitate the water, coaxing reluctant cranberries to release from the vine. Once a bog is flooded, cranberry harvesters must work against the clock to get their product out of the bog and off to the processing plant before berries spoil.

Makepeace Farms

If you don't want to leave experiencing the cranberry harvest to chance,  A.D. Makepeace Company  offers guided bog tours on select dates during the season. View the  schedule  online, or call 508-322-4028 for details.

Whether or not you book a spot on this tour, make  Makepeace Farms  a stop on your cranberry bog driving tour. This farm market is  the  best place to shop for cranberry goodies and souvenirs, plus other locally produced gourmet delights and gifts including fresh cranberries, sweetened dried cranberries, cranberry granola, cranberry salad topping, cranberry salsa and Richard's Famous Garlic Salt.This all-natural seasoning is made in Carver, Massachusetts, at Cranberry Barn Kitchens.

Cranberry Bog Tours

Learn about organic cranberry farming on a tour of Cape Cod's largest organic bog. Starting in April and available daily through the fall harvest season, these kid-friendly and accessible tours require advance reservations. Before you leave, purchase sweetened dried cranberries and organic cranberry sauce at the farm stand. Fresh cranberries by the pound are also available during the harvest season.

Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours

You'll get an agricultural education on walking tours offered by this cranberry grower, which has cultivated 75 acres of bogs on Cape Cod for more than a quarter-century. Make reservations in advance for daily outings from mid-June to mid-December to view bogs in bloom, cranberries on the vine and ultimately, the harvest. The minimum group size is four people.

Annie's Crannies

Annie's crannies.

Visit this Cape Cod cranberry grower on weekends during the harvest season for bog viewing and to shop for fresh fruit and farm-made products including Bogside Honey. Owner Annie Walker left her Broadway production wardrobe supervisor job in 1994 to tend this bog, which was once owned by her grandfather. Dennis is the first town in America where cranberries—a native wild fruit—were successfully cultivated. 

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Home » Things to Do » Outdoors & Adventure » Cranberry Growing & Harvesting » Massachusetts Cranberries

Massachusetts Cranberries

Massachusetts Cranberries invites you to enjoy the unique experience of visiting a working cranberry bog. Our native fruit has been cultivated for over 200 years – learn more about the seasons of the cranberry, how cranberry farming works, and the incredible health benefits of this little red berry. See for yourself what Massachusetts’ number one food crop is all about and how cranberries make up the fabric of this beautiful New England state.

Group and Student Tours are available weekdays April-November and public harvest tours are open weekends in October. Visit our website cranberries.org to register and learn more about this amazing berry. Tours are 60-90 minutes long and include the history of the cranberry in Massachusetts, information about the cranberry industry and a close-up view of a local cranberry bog. Tours begin at our Cranberry Tour Barn in Carver, MA or Makepeace Farms in Wareham, MA.

Coach tours and Education tours are sold out for the 2024 season. Please email  [email protected]  to be contacted for the 2025 season.  Dates for Public Tours will be posted in August.

(508) 866-7878

[email protected]

Visit Website

265 South Meadow Road, Suite D, Plymouth, MA 02360

Ppapa’s pizza bar

The Black Dog General Store

Brewster Bar

La Vie Luna Apothecary

Shikku Hot Pot

Vitamin Sea Brewing

Plymouth Shock

Harbourtown Retail

Book A Tour

Plan your seasonal group outing.

Regularly scheduled tours of Whitesbog, the village museums, and Elizabeth White’s gardens occur monthly as posted on our Events Calendar page.  (Guided tours of  the Village and museums occur at 1pm on the first Saturday of each month; check the calendar for details and pricing.) We also offer Moonlight Walks each month.  Specialty tours for groups may be arranged by reservation. As a volunteer organization, tour guides or docents may be at Whitesbog and available for discussion or impromptu tours, please email ahead to ensure availability. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the Tour Request Form!

Group Tours include topics such as Whitesbog history, Museums, Gardens, Blueberries, Cranberries, Pinelands plants, insects, wildlife, wetlands, and more.

Cranberry Harvest

Cranberry harvest begins in mid-late September – early October in the South Jersey Pine Barrens. Plan ahead for your Whitesbog Cranberry Harvest Tour! Watch our Facebook page starting in mid September for posts on the harvest. You may get to glimpse the wet harvest in progress or see berries floating on the bogs! Tours can include Suningive, home of Elizabeth Coleman White, The Cranberry & Blueberry Museum, The General Store and take place weekdays and Saturdays. Most include walking on sandy roads, though some allow driving to the locations. Ask about tasting the locally made cranberry salsa!  Check  our Calendar or request to  Book a Tour  using the form below.

Moonlight Walks

These interpreted nature walks take place on the Saturday closest to the full moon each month (consult our calendar for actual dates and fees). Starting at the General Store, the walk is between 3 and 5 miles in length and led by experienced guides. Participants learn a little bit about the history of the Village and Pine Barrens flora and fauna and enjoy some stargazing while listening to the night sounds of the pines. Check our Facebook page for changes due to weather.

Garden & Nature Walks

Learn about the diversity of habitat and the wildlife of the Pine Barrens within Whitesbog’s 3,000 acres. Experienced guides will take you on a tour to discover the wonders of nature. Elizabeth’s White’s Suningive gardens were widely known for her interest in native Pine Barrens plants. You may enjoy the gardens on your own, or be part of a tour that includes  the gardens and Suningive house as well. Schedule a tour for your group. Reservations requested.

Spooky Lantern Walks

What goes scurrying by in the night? What spirits haunt the homes and old store? Brave the Village after dark with historians and naturalists that share the creatures and people past who you might encounter on your tour. Learn about the experiences of former residents and legends of the Pine Barrens including the Jersey Devil. Reservations requested.

Holiday Tours

Enjoy an evening tour through the village lit up with Holiday lights and decorations. We will walk by lantern light through the Village and enjoy some cider and cookies along the way to Suningive. Many tours include music and decorations change every year! Held in early December.

Interested in booking a tour?

Fill out the form below to schedule a tour!

Field Trips At Whitesbog

The Pinelands Institute at Whitesbog Village provides educational programs featuring the natural and cultural history of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Programs include school field trips, in-school presentations, adult group presentations, teacher workshops, and special events.

More About Whitesbog

Whitesbog Preservation Trust is the caretaker of Whitesbog Historic Village, a small cranberry farming village founded in 1857 

Discover ways you can Support us including volunteering, corporate sponsorship, leaving a legacy and becoming a sustaining patron.

Find answers to frequently asked questions about Whitesbog, your visit and planning for events!

Whitesbog Preservation Trust (501(c) (3) non profit) is the caretaker of Whitesbog Historic Village, a small cranberry farming village founded in 1857.

Whitesbog Preservation Trust

120 W. Whites Bog Road #34

Browns Mills, NJ 08015

609.893.4646

[email protected]

Open Daily: Sunrise – Sunset

• Category : All Articles , Excursions & Tours
• Tag(s) : AD Makepeace , Annie Crannies , Cape Cod cranberry bog tour , Cranberry Bog Tours , cranberry tours on cape cod , tour a cape cod cranberry bog , where to get cranberries on cape cod

4 Photogenic Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours

• Maureen Thompson
• September 5, 2023

Cranberry is a wild, native fruit grown in Cape Cod, grown in sandy bogs and marshes on long-running vines. The cranberry is a the second largest cash crop of Cape Cod .

If you plan to visit the Cape during the harvest season, or any time in the year, consider taking a cranberry bog tour to learn more about the history and the process of our native fruit.

Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours

1. cranberry bog tours.

Tour time(s) : Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Duration : 1.5 hours

Website : www.cranberrybogtours.com

Located in Harwich, the Cranberry Bog Tours has the largest cranberry bog on Cape Cod.The Cranberry Bog Tour is available seasonally in the spring, summer, and fall. It is a guided tour that explains the daily operations on the farm and the methods of harvesting. In addition, there is a farm stand and gift shop where you can buy cranberry-related items such as jam and honey.

The Cranberry Bog Tour is educational and informational, and appropriate for kids old enough to be interested in the tour.

Costs/Packages for Cranberry Bog Tours

You will need to make a reservation for your cranberry bog tour. The tour costs $20 for adults and children. Please note credit card payments are not accepted.

You can book your ticket and get scheduled times for the tour by calling the Cranberry Bog Tours on 508-432-0790.

2. Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tour

Tour time(s) : Harvesting Season

Duration : 1 hour

Website : www.capecodcranberrybogtours.com

The Cape Cod Cranberry Tours is situated at the Governor Prence Inn, Orleans. You’ll see cranberry harvest in action and learn about the history and cultivation of cranberries. Tours are guided by a knowledgeable grower with up to three decades of experience.

This tour allows you to learn about the historic cranberry industry on Cape Cod in a fun and exciting way.  You’re likely to see local birds like the mourning dove, American Goldfinch, and the White-throated sparrow, so you might also want to bring your cameras or binoculars.

Depending on the time of the year, you’ll see blooming cranberry bogs. Come in your comfortable walking shoes as you will be walking on this cranberry bog tour.

Costs/Packages for the Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours

The tour costs $20 per person, and the minimum group size for a tour is four persons.  It is available at 4 pm daily based on the weather, and you can also reserve your place based on availability.

You have to reserve your space for the Cape Cod Cranberry Bog tour by calling 508 237 5478 or send an email to [email protected].

3. A.D. Makepeace Company Bog Tour

Tour time(s) : All year round

Website : www.makepeacefarm.com

Located just off-Cape,  the A.D. Makepeace Company is one of the world’s largest cranberry growers. They offer all-year-long private group tours, which come with a guide. You can dry harvest your own cranberries while on tour.

In the fall, you’re in for the beautiful wet harvest. Then, by winter, you witness the vines’ leaves change to the rich red cranberry color.

It is a guided tour. Throughout the tour, your guide will explain the yearly cycle of cranberry growing, methods of harvesting, and insights on what it means to be a cranberry farmer.

The A.D. Makepeace Company hosts an annual Cranberry Harvest Celebration in early October. You can join the event to learn more about cranberries.

Costs/Packages for the A.D. Makepeace Company Tours

There are group and private tours offered all year long. For groups, there have to be ten or more people.

For details of tour costs and packages, call 508 295 5437.

4. Annie’s Crannies

Tour time(s) : Fall

Website : www.anniescrannies.com

Sitting at the heart of the historic village of Dennis, Massachusetts, Annie’s Crannies is where you will find some of the best cranberries in Cape Cod. In 1994, Annie Walker, the owner of Annie’s Crannies, started cultivating cranberries to continue a family tradition that began with her grandfather, Ben Walker, combining over 200 years experience of growing cranberries.

You’ll see the tools used in harvesting cranberries, as well as large, blossoming cranberry bogs as Annie walks you around and shares her wealth of knowledge with you on the cranberry industry.

In addition to the cranberry bog tour, you will see how beeswax candles and honey are made from cranberry blossoms.As you walk past plants, she tells you about the bees needed to pollinate them.

An exciting part of the Annie’s Crannies tour is the gift shop where you can buy fresh berries. It also has other products such as soaps, fresh fruits, jams, cranberry recipes, and the Annie’s crannies Gift Boxes.

Annie’s Crannies tours take place during the harvest season during October and November on Saturdays and Sundays.  The Annie’s Crannies gift shop is always open during the harvest season – October to November.

If you want the full experience, the tour crew can put you to work by letting you clean your berries on their antique screening equipment.  You’ll also see the dry picking form of cultivation and dry picked fresh Howes variety cranberries.

The Annie’s Crannies tour is ideal for everyone if you’re interested in cranberries and their production. In addition, it’s an excellent way to learn about the history of farming cranberries in Dennis.

Costs/Packages of Annie’s Crannies Tours

Email or call to make reservations by sending an email to [email protected].  All prices are available when you reach out via this number: 508 385 5517.

The best cranberry tours in Cape Cod are provided by Cranberry Bog Tours, Cape Cod Cranberry tours, and A.D. Makepeace company. These tours are unbeatable, from exploring cranberry products to seeing the cranberry bloom to getting the harvest done yourself.

If a cranberry bog tour on Cape Cod is on your bucket list, these four tours are undoubtedly your best choices.

Learn more about Cape Cod’s farm tours !

• AD Makepeace , Annie Crannies , Cape Cod cranberry bog tour , Cranberry Bog Tours , cranberry tours on cape cod , tour a cape cod cranberry bog , where to get cranberries on cape cod

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Six Cranberry Bogs Throughout New England

You'll find most of them in southeastern massachusetts, though.

Cranberry bogs, ubiquitous in Southeastern Massachusetts, can be found in every New England state.

They are enjoying something of a revival, as family farmers over the past decade have reclaimed and renovated old cranberry bogs—or built new ones –throughout New England.

Cranberry bogs are low shallow bowls of acidic peat soil near plentiful sand and water. They have four layers, starting with clay at the bottom, gravel, peat and sand.

Workers harvest cranberries during ‘Cranberry Time,’ which runs from late August through September in Southeastern New England.

A Massachusetts cranberry grower

History of Cranberry Bogs

If the Pilgrims served cranberries at the earliest Thanksgiving, they would have used them as a sweetener or a flavoring ingredient, not as a dish.

The first cranberry entrepreneur, Henry Hall of Dennis, Mass., noticed that his cranberry plants thrived when sand blew over them. He figured out how to transplant cranberry vines, fence them in, spread sand on them and flood the cranberry bogs at harvest time. That way, the cranberries floated to the top for easy picking.

Word spread about Henry Hall’s technique and cranberry bogs began flourishing in Southeastern Massachusetts. Some Massachusetts vines are more than 150 years old.

A vintage can of cranberry sauce

The cranberry industry advanced further when Marcus Libby Urann abandoned his profession as a lawyer to buy a cranberry bog. Urann made the first canned cranberry sauce .

In 1930, he joined with two other cranberry growers to found the cooperative that became Ocean Spray. Ocean Spray bottled and sold Cranberry Juice Cocktail starting in the mid-1930s.  Urann is buried in Hanson, Mass., deep in cranberry country.

The Harwich Historical Society has an exhibit of cranberry culture (open in the summer) at its museum, at 80 Parallel St. in Harwich.

Here, then, are actual six cranberry bogs, one in each New England state.

Killingworth Cranberries

A 1940 cranberry picking machine.

In the late 19th century, Killingworth, Conn., had more than 20 acres under cranberry cultivation. Farmers eventually neglected their bogs, except for the Evarts family, which cared for the family bog for more than a century.

Sometimes they had help weeding and maintaining the bog from one of their biggest customers, Bishop’s Orchards, a Guilford, Conn., farm since 1871.

In 2016 Keith Bishop renovated the old Evarts family bog, planting 2.7 acres of the new hybrid Scarlet Knight cranberry vines .

Today it’s the only cranberry harvesting bog left in Connecticut.

The Killingworth Land Conservation Trust also bought two old cranberry bogs, now known as Pond Meadow Natural Area and Cranberry Hollow.

155 Pond Meadow Rd, Killingworth, Conn.

Sugar Hill Cranberry Co.

The Sugar Hill Cranberry Co . is a small family farm in the Down East town of Columbia Falls. John and Christine Alexander harvest three kinds of cranberries on 11 acres of cranberry bogs. They grow Pilgrims, a juice berry great for wine making; the popular Stevens and the heirloom variety Howes.

Christine grew up in Massachusetts cranberry country with relatives who harvested cranberries back in the 1940s.

256 Sacarap Road, Columbia, Maine

Flax Pond Farms

Picking cranberries on Cape Cad.

You may have once noticed a picture of Jack and Dot Angley on Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice labels (click here to see it and scroll to the bottom).

They bought their 100-acre farm in Carver, Mass., in 1967. It includes a 34-acre cranberry bog that farmers have harvested since the 1890s. Today the bog produces cranberries for Ocean Spray Cranberries.

As recently as 40 years ago, up to 30 farmworkers harvested the berries with hand-held scoops and hauled them to shore by wheelbarrow. Today harvesting machines pick the berries, which a helicopter then lifts to waiting trucks.

When the bogs freeze solidly enough, sanding machines apply 1/2 to one inch of sand on the ice. It settles on the vine, stimulating new vine growth and smothering some winter insect pests.

You can visit Flax Pond Farm starting Nov. 24 for fresh-cut Christmas trees and handmade wreaths.

Click here for four other Massachusetts cranberry bogs you can tour.

58 Pond St. Carver, Mass.

Cranberry Meadow Pond

New Hampshire doesn’t seem to have any commercial cranberry bogs left. But back in the late 19 th century, farmers harvested cranberries from bogs in Auburn, Manchester and Berlin, according to the Cow Hampshire blog .

Wild cranberries still grow in New Hampshire bogs , but you have to know how to look for them.

You might try the 4.5-mile Cranberry Meadow Pond Trail , which runs from downtown Peterborough to the summit of Pack Monadnock. The trail winds through some of the area’s most beautiful conservation land. For a map, click here .

Off Old Street Road near the intersection with Route 101, Peterborough, N.H.

Wild cranberries

The Greene Company

Cranberries in Rhode Island date to about 1855, when Abiel T. Sampson started planting his cranberry bog in Coventry. Eventually he expanded it to become the largest in the state. Sampson hired local families to pick the cranberries by hand for two cents a quart.

After Sampson died, the cranberry bog changed hands several times until Mr. and Mrs. Robert Leonard bought it in 1966. They ran it as the Coventry Cranberry Co. Today, The Greene Company , a 103-acre family farm in nearby Greene, harvests cranberries from the bog.

The company won a preservation award for restoring the antique cranberry processing barn on the property, built in 1890.

1065 Narrow Lane, Greene, R.I.

Vermont Cranberry Company

Bob Lesnikoski harvests cranberries from Vermont’s only commercial cranberry bog in Fletcher. He built the bog, or bed, himself and planted the cranberry vines. Lesnikoski dry harvests cranberries, but floods the bed after picking to clean it out. He told the  St. Albans Messenger in 2014 that he sells about 25,000 pounds of cranberries annually to local distributors.

Doing business as the Vermont Cranberry Co ., he also sells cranberries at the Burlington Farmers Market.

2563 North Rd., East Fairfield, Vt.

Need some new ideas for your Thanksgiving feast? How about trying something old — and authentic — from the New England Historical Society.. Available in paperback and as an ebook from Amazon (click here ).

This story was updated in 2023.

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