Cranberries were first used by the Native Americans many centuries before the Pilgrims arrived on Cape Cod. They made a food known as pemmican. This was dried meat, grains, and cranberries all mixed together. It was a perfect food because it didn't need refrigeration. When Europeans arrived they learned that this berry could be stored for long periods of time. It helped to keep them healthy through the winter months when little fruit was available. Today, we know it is an excellent source of Vitamin C. Cranberries can be used for sauces, juice, muffins, dried snacks, and more!
Cranberries have many uses,from medicine to muffins!
Cranberries grow in bogs.
Sometimes fields are flooded so the berries float to the surface. This is called a "wet pick".
Workers then gather the berries together and load them into crates and trucks.
Sometimes workers use a cranberry scoop to harvest the berries. This is called a "dry pick".
Cranberry bogs need irrigation systems.
The cranberry is the state berry of Massachusetts.
