Cranberries in New England: History & Harvest
- This Cafe Life
- Sep 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 9
Cranberries in New England
This week, as I drive past the deep red bogs on Cape, it’s impossible not to feel the anticipation of cranberry harvest.
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A History Rooted in Tradition
Long before European settlers arrived, Native peoples in New England were harvesting wild cranberries from natural bogs. For the Wampanoag, these tart red berries were far more than food. Cranberries were dried and mixed with venison and fat to create pemmican, a nutrient-rich preserve that lasted through the winter. They were also used as natural dye and valued for their medicinal qualities.
When colonists settled in the region, they quickly adopted cranberries into their diets, cooking them down into sauces and preserves that paired well with meat. By the 19th century, cranberries had become a thriving export crop, with barrels shipped to Europe. What began as a local resource became a global commodity - one that would eventually grow into a multi-million-dollar industry with deep roots in Massachusetts.
The Harvest: Bogs Turn Red
The cranberry harvest is one of the most distinctive agricultural traditions in New England. Contrary to popular belief, cranberries don’t grow underwater. Instead, they thrive on low-lying vines in sandy bogs. During harvest season - from late September through early November - growers flood the bogs with water. Using special machines called water reels, or “eggbeaters,” they loosen the berries, which then float to the surface. Because cranberries contain tiny air pockets, they bob up like buoys, creating a stunning sea of red. Farmers then corral the berries into nets for collection, a ritual that’s as functional as it is visually iconic.
Massachusetts is second only to Wisconsin in cranberry production, and the bogs of Cape Cod, Plymouth County, and southeastern Massachusetts are especially famous. Agritourism has grown around the harvest in recent decades, with tours, tastings, and bog walks giving visitors a firsthand look at the process. Festivals celebrate the season with cooking demos, family activities, and plenty of cranberry-inspired dishes. The Cape Cod Cranberry Festival, for example, is a highlight of the fall calendar - part harvest showcase, part cultural celebration.
From Bog to Table
Cranberries are inseparably tied to Thanksgiving. By the mid-1800s, cranberry sauce had become a fixture of the holiday meal, and today it’s almost unthinkable to set the table without it. But cranberries extend well beyond the sauce dish. They shine in quick breads, chutneys, cocktails, and desserts, bringing a burst of tartness and color that balances the richness of fall foods. With Ocean Spray - a growers’ cooperative founded in Massachusetts - cranberries also became a household staple around the world, appearing in juices, dried fruit, and packaged snacks.
A Symbol of New England’s Harvest
Cranberries are one of only three fruits native to North America that are grown commercially (alongside blueberries and Concord grapes). They’re a reminder that New England’s harvest extends beyond orchards and fields into its wetlands and waterways. With their jewel-like color, unique harvesting method, and cultural significance, cranberries remain one of the most visually striking and symbolically rich crops of autumn.
Whether you see them floating in a flooded bog, simmering in a pot on Thanksgiving morning, or baked into a rustic bread, cranberries carry the flavor and spirit of New England’s harvest season. They are history, culture, and community captured in a single berry - and a taste of fall that endures year after year.
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