Growing Cranberries

Did you know that Cranberries grow in bogs! Yep, they grow in swamps. Who knew! Anyway that makes growing cranberries less than ideal for ghetto gardens or urbans landscapes, but the American cranberry is a delightful fruit for the winter months for cooking, eating and even displaying in centerpices.

A few facts from the website Cranberry Creations states that the American Cranberry is one of only three native fruits to North America (blueberries and grapes are the other two).

The Lenni-lenape Indians of New Jersey called the cranberry "ibimi" meaning 'bitter berry.' They used this wild red berry as a part of their food and as a symbol of peace and friendship. The Chippawas called the cranberry "a'ni-bimin," the Alogonquin called it "atoqua," and the Naragansetts called it "sasemineash." Native Americans would eat it raw, mixed in with maple sugar, or with deer meat (as a dried "Pemmican").

Early European settlers named the berry 'Craneberry' because the flowers looked like the head of a sand crane.

Here's a little video of how cranberries are grown and harvested: