TihonetVillageMarket

The harvest is done, and now is the time when cranberry
growers prepare their bogs for higher yields in 2010.

Winter Flood
Cranberry bogs are flooded from late December through
mid- March depending on the weather, to protect the vines
and buds from winter injury.

Sanding
A layer of sand is applied to the cranberry bog every few
years. This cultural practice is done to stimulate growth,
improve drainage and control weeds, insects and fungi.
Sand can be applied in several ways. With dry sanding, sand
is applied directly to the vines by a bog vehicle or by hand.
In ice sanding, the sand is applied on the ice that forms on
the winter flood. The third method is barge sanding, where
sand is applied by using a barge on a flooded bog. See the
Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association Ice Sanding
page for more information.

Equipment Maintenance and Construction
Since there are fewer than 1,000 cranberry growers in North
America, large companies do not manufacture farm
equipment for cranberry production. Most growers use the
winter months to design, build and maintain their own
equipment.

Brush Cutting and Tree Clearing
Growers often will remove brush and trees around the
perimeter of the bog to promote air movement which helps
reduce frost risk and cuts down on fungal growth. Removing
brush and trees that serve as alternative hosts for weeds
diseases and insects also helps cut down on pesticide use.

Grower Education
Through continuing education workshops, growers spend
many hours learning the latest environmental and
production related practices that will increase the efficiency
and environmental compatibility of their operations.

We ship cranberries! E-mail us for information.