New Jersey produces more cranberries than any other state except Massachusetts and Wisconsin. That seems hard to believe.
There are a lot of boggy areas in south Jersey which are a perfect place to grow this little fruit.
Cranberries grow on small shrubs just like many other berries. They are unique in the way we harvest them.
The area in which the bushes are grown is flooded and then specialized harvesting equipment gently thrashes the bushes until the berries come loose and float to the top. Now it’s just a matter of scooping up the berries.
Now, most fruit is sold by the pound in boxes, but cranberries are sold in 100-pound barrels. It’s like red crude oil (although lumpy oil.)
We eat a lot of jellied cranberries around the holidays but they also go well in chutney, muffins and other foods. Plus they’re very healthy for you.