Cape Cod Cranberry Harvest, 2018

Cranberries-- those tart little antioxidant powerhouses, are one of the many things that makes Cape Cod special.  The Cape has a rich Cranberry growing history dating back to the 18th century.  Little has changed in this industry since then.  Our abundant salt water floods the fields every October to float the berries to the top.  

I was driving by one of the harvests the other day.  The first thing I noticed was that a familiar green field now looked like a lake big enough for a small boat.  But a closer look reveals something very different--men standing only knee-deep in waders, pulling solid rakes across a surface of red.  The "lake" is only temporary.  The bog is intentionally flooded to allow the mature berries to float to the top.   Once the berries are gathered and hauled away by the truckload, the bog is drained and the field goes to bed for the winter.

The site of this brief harvest always attracts onlookers, as we take in the quiet seasonal beauty of Cape Cod in autumn.  I hope you enjoy this little video, taken on the fly in Harwich