A working cranberry bog mirrors one of American’s earliest agriculture practices. It also showcases some of the newest and most innovative methods used by farmers today. But time stands still when one reflects on these glistening berries during a beautiful Indian summer day in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Each autumn farmer continues gathering the glossy berries that were cherished by the native people of the area.

In Whitesbog when we turned off the highway into the Joseph J. White farm we saw a sea of cranberry color as the sun sparkled on floating berries. It is harvest time in the bog. Modern technology couples with native plants and anyone who had previous thoughts of cranberries being found in cans in the super market has a great awakening when they see the harvest process.

In autumn these gems are found on small evergreen plants that grow in the acid soil in southern New Jersey and other Atlantic coastal places. Today New Jersey is currently the third largest cranberry producing area in the United States with approximately 3,100 acres of cranberry bogs.

The glistening jewel-like red fruits called cranberries were cherished by the Native Americans and soon adopted by the Colonial people. Today the berry is still used in a multitude of ways, but we often think of it as a Thanksgiving food enjoyed by our forefathers. I make our favorite cranberry liquor cake (see recipe below) all year long so I freeze many bags of berries when they are in season.

Native Americans were said to have mixed these berries with dried deer meat to take on hunting trips. This nourishing berry is loaded with Vitamin C and ancient people dried it to keep it from one season until the next. Several early writings and recipes call these berries Rubies of the Pines. One antique book by Joseph J. White is Cranberry Culture, New York: Orange Judd Co., c1870.

We visited Jay Burton who owns the White Farm. It is run by Jay’s nephew, Joseph Darlington along with Joe’s wife Brenda. It is said to be the second largest cranberry farm in New Jersey. Brenda Conner is a descendant of the native people and lifelong resident of the South Jersey Pinelands. She is well versed in piney culture and presents wonderful programs on cranberries as well as other interesting South Jersey topics. She and Joe are innovative cranberry growers and have introduced Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology to the bogs. GPS is the gadget that folks have in their cars to help them locate places. It is now used in harvesting berries and tells the harvesters where to go in the bog.

In the early 1800s bog iron was mined in the New Jersey pines. I have been told that bog iron doesn’t rust like other iron so it was valuable to make stoves, cannons and other cast iron products. In the mining process the land was scraped down two or three feet and left thus. In 1857 Joseph J. White‘s father-in-law saw the possibility of growing cranberries in these places so he purchased this land near a good supply of water necessary for these early bogs.

Joseph Darlington ran the company in the ‘40s until he was killed in a small plane crash in 1949. His brother Tom then revamped and updated methods and machinery ultimately inventing the fresh fruit DRY harvester, which is still used today. His oldest son Joe came into the business and runs it now with his wife Brenda. Crop outputs have risen from 30 barrels (a barrel is 100 lbs) to the acre in Joseph J’s time, to over 200 today.

Cranberry Culture

The bogs are not really boggy, but actually have firm sand bases in which the cranberry vines grow. They are flooded in winter and in the early spring the water is drawn and the plants green up, bloom and produce berries. Harvest is mostly done “wet” starting in October and sometimes going until mid November.

Some gardeners grow these plants in their gardens. They require a place with acid woodland soil and little or no fertilizer other than the natural compost of leaf decay. They like a somewhat moist or humusy soil during the growing season, but need more moisture when it freezes. In the wild, the cranberry plant actually grows in very acidic soil, usually near a river or lake that floods in winter.

The word cranberry conjures thoughts of plants that grow under water. While it is true they are wetlands plants, cranberry vines live most of their life cycle on dry land. Water for cranberry production under New Jersey conditions is essential.  With New Jersey’s hot summer conditions, berries can be scalded from the heat when temperatures are above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. More detailed information can be obtained from this source at http://www.rce.rutgers.edu/burlington/cranberr.htm

Homeowners can grow cranberries without a bog or flooding. Insects and winter cold rarely threaten backyard cranberries. We sell a cranberry fall centerpiece basket complete with plants and bow. One local couple, Janet and Rich DeMarco, still have their plant from this basket and tell me it even reseeded. This summer they added a dozen or so more to their garden!

Cranberries, like rhododendron, mountain laurel, azalea, blueberry and other woodlanders, are finicky about their soil. It needs to be very acidic (pH 4-5), very high in humus, moist and low in fertility. The way to create these soil conditions is to mix a generous amount of peat moss, which is humus that is low in nutrients, into the soil.

By late summer shiny, red berries can be seen hanging on the wiry stems. Those cranberry fruits cling to the plants all winter if they are not gobbled by wildlife.
Every four to six years, during the winter months, commercial growers apply a layer of sand to their bogs to reinvigorate the wine growth. The reason for this is the vines will go to runners and the sand layer will force the plant to produce uprights and thus berries. Homeowners may use sawdust, leaves or especially pine needles to mulch plants for winter.

Using Fresh Berries

Cranberries have very few calories, but they are so tart and sour they are often combined with much sugar to sweeten them. Some folks find honey or other sugar substitutes effective for sweetening. . Usually cranberries are cooked with 2 cups of sugar to every 4 cups of berries. 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water or orange juice is also used. Wash and pick over cranberries. Place in wide bottomed saucepan, add liquid and cook over medium heat until cranberry skins pop. Stir in sugar and cook till it dissolves. Chill before serving.

Those on a sugar restricted diet can make a sugar free sauce using sugar-free Jell-o. Boil 1 cup of water and add 1 package of orange or cranberry sugar-free Jell-o. Add 1/2 cup of cold water and 2 cups of chopped cranberries. I put this all in blender to chop, but I have heard others say they simmer it until the berries pop. Let cool and stir in chopped apples, oranges or nuts for a healthy treat.

Most recipes call for fresh, frozen berries or dried berries. When using frozen cranberries, allow them to become room temperature before adding to cakes. Try stirring a cup into your favorite buttery pound cake. For cookies, dried berries work best.

When cranberries are added to vinegar, wine or vodka, the color and flavor of the fruit is extracted into the liquid. Delicious salad dressings can be made using cranberry vinegar and oil. Toss a handful of dried cranberries, pieces of orange and walnuts in with crisp greens and the salad is a fall delight.

You might even consider stringing some with or without some popcorn to trim a tree for the birds. I like to thread them with a thin wire and bend into wreaths or heart shaped trims for our tree. Make these little Jersey jewels part of your holiday traditions this year.

Lorraine’s Cranberry Cake

• 1¾ Cup sugar
• 3 Sticks of room temp butter (no substitutions!)
• 6 Eggs
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• ½ Teaspoon brandy extracts
• ½ Teaspoon rum extract
• 3 Tablespoons cranberry liqueur (You can substitute any fruit liqueur or brandy)
• 3½ Cups cake flour (if all purpose is used reduce to 1/4) and sift
• ½ Teaspoon salt
• ½ Teaspoon baking soda
• ½ Teaspoon mace
• 1 Cup dairy sour cream
• 1 Cup fresh or frozen or thawed cranberries
• 1 Cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Cream sugar and butter well. Add eggs one at a time. Add flavorings and beat very well. Gently beat or fold in dry ingredients with court cream, then add berries and nuts.

Pour into a well greased and floured large bundt pan or two small Turkish head pans. Bake at 325° for 1½ hour. Test for doneness. Cool 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan.

Let cool until warm. Glaze with crank liqueur/butter icing.

Crank Liqueur/Butter Icing

• 1 Stick softened butter (no substitutions)
• 1 1-pound box of 4xs powdered sugar
• 3 Tablespoons cranberry liquor (or a liquid or fruit juice)
• Milk

Combine ingredients and enough milk until desired consistency is reached. Put on warm cake so it drips down (but not hot or it will melt away).