come explore
CRANBERRY COUNTRY
Cranberries are native to the marshlands of
central Wisconsin, & Native Americans have
harvested them for centuries. Commercial
production in Wisconsin began in Green
Lake County in the early 1850s. The center of
the industry later moved to marshes around
Tomah, Warrens, & Wisconsin Rapids.
By 1956 Wisconsin had become the second
largest source of cranberries (behind
Massachusetts) & in 1994 became the
country’s leading cranberry producer & still
holds that title today.
During harvest the marshes were flooded
with 6 to 10 inches of water to make the
berries float to the surface, where seasonal
workers wielding cranberry rakes collected
them. Each fall, large bunkhouses in Tomah
& Wisconsin Rapids filled with migrant
workers. Native American workers would
set up camp on the grounds of some of the
larger marshes to work as pickers. Workers
were paid 75 cents per bushel, and in 1875
pickers averaged two bushels per day.
During the 1945 season, German prisoners
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of war confined in Wisconsin worked in the
cranberry bogs. The prisoners worked in
the marshes all summer, weeding the beds,
digging drainage ditches and assisting with
the harvest.
Cranberries are one of only three native
fruits to North America (the other two
being blueberries and concord grapes).
Cranberries are produced on low growing
wines that blossom in late June or early
July. You can see the cranberry blossoms
and the bees that pollinate them on June
25th at the Wetherby Cranberry Company
during their annual Cranberry Blossom
Day!
If you can’t make it for the summer
cranberry blossoms be sure to come for
harvest time in October. The berries are
floated to the surface of their beds and are
then dislodged by a mechanical harvester.
You can join Wetherby Cranberry
Company for their annual Public Harvest
Day on October 2nd to see a cranberry
harvest up-close and in person! They even
let you take pictures in the floating berries!
(800)94-TOMAH
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