Cranberry Farming
As one of the perennially top cranberry producing states in the nation, WiscoVR has created the following site to "virtually" learn how Wisconsin farmers grow, harvest, and sell cranberries!
"Since the beginning in 1907, four successive generations of Habelman family members have dedicated themselves to ensuring their customers receive the highest quality fresh cranberries available on the market. Today, Habelman Bros. Company is the world’s largest fresh cranberry grower and packer. In 2008 their label was re-introduced to the domestic and international markets".
Bob Wilson- The Cranberry Network
Steps to Picture Perfect Cranberries
1. Cranberries grow in bogs. Although bog implies water, not all bogs are wet. In the dry method of harvesting, harvesters walk a mechanical picker through the fields. In the wet method, the bogs are filled with water (approximately 6-18 in. of water). The water helps to float the cranberries to the surface of the water for easy harvesting.
2. Agitate the waters. Machines skim the water surface to mix up the water surface which knocks the cranberries from the vines.
3. Once the cranberries are loose, the harvesters put on tall boots called waders and go into the water to push the cranberries towards the truck. To help collect the berries, a hose or net is use to round up the berries and bring them into one place for easy collection.
4. The truck sucks up the berries from the water and filters them through grates to remove most of the vines and leaves that accompany the berries (Click for video). (wet harvesting is harder on the berries than dry harvesting, so the berries are rarely sold as fresh product after a wet harvest)
5. Berries are dumped from the separating truck into a dump truck that takes the berries to the processing plant. Once there, berries are stored in large, breathable bins within a cool warehouse until ready for processing.
6. The processing ordeal separates berries based on quality. The two main factors are color and bounce. Quality cranberries are dark crimson in color and bounce when tested. Several growers, like Habelman, still use old machines that separate for bounce. Newer machines, like Ocean Spray, are all automated.
7. Once the berries are separated out with the machine (click for video), the berries are gone through by hand to ensure quality. Then they are funneled through a machine that bags them and sends them to be boxed and shipped.
