cranberry bog tours new jersey

New Jersey Cranberries: A Tour of the Garden State Fruit

• By: Amber Egorov
• Updated on September 5, 2023

When someone mentions the Pine Barrens, a few things come to mind: The Jersey Devil, “Piney Power,” and over a million acres of trees! That’s all I knew before getting a private tour by the most knowledgeable and kind woman at Whitesbog Village , a working farm and living history museum of the region’s blueberry and cranberry crops .

The drive into Browns Mills was lined with trees, a dense forest that seemed never to end. Then, suddenly, I started to see water. Not necessarily large lakes or rivers, but squared plots of water. We were here Cranberry Country ! We could see the bogs left and right as we left onto the winding dirt road. Finally, we arrived at the parking lot of Whitesbog Village . The historic General Store was decked out in haystacks and pumpkins with a tall water tower in the background. We saw crafts, bumper stickers, and jars of cranberry jam as we entered. A feeling of autumn warmth surrounded us and made us feel welcome.

Unfortunately, the attendant at the register said they weren’t offering tours that day. My disappointment was apparent after the hour-and-a-half drive, so she motioned to a coworker to come over. The pleasant woman with white-rimmed glasses said she would be delighted to give us a private tour! She then unlocked all the buildings and started her speech, beginning with the land’s pre-historic roots with glaciers, mammoths, natives, and aquifers. It was all quite interesting, but I won’t spoil it here.

Whitesbog offers free tours on the first Saturday of each month!

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In the gallery, you’ll find walls of sepia photographs of the White family that founded the farm and immigrant workers that tended the cranberry fields. You’ll see the early 1900s cameras that took them. Turn a corner, and you’ll find century-old tools used to cultivate the cranberries. In the east wing, you’ll appreciate local artists’ paintings depicting the Pine Barrens’ cranberry culture.

After touring the buildings of Whitesbog Village, the guide led us to a path where we learned about the agricultural aspect of cranberry farming. It’s almost like cranberries and the Pines were meant to be, as flora and fauna of the region work together in a symbiotic relationship. To make this sense, we first know that an infectious fungus once plagued the White’s cranberry crops.

They hired scientists to formulate poisons to destroy it. Still, the scientists found that the moss that grows naturally in the forests acts as a natural Ph balancer, turning groundwater into a protectant from an infectious fungus that once destroyed dry cranberry crops. Another critical factor is the mushroom that grows in the area; its root system helps the moss grow. All these elements work together to form acidic water in the aquifer below that farmers feed into the bogs. That’s when the vitality of the cranberry became dependent upon water.

Cranberries grow on dry land. When the cranberries are ripe, farmers control water flow into fields with trenches and pump houses for the wet harvest. Once the areas are flooded, machinery moves in, shaking the cranberries off the vine and corraling them into a vacuum. Wet-harvested cranberries are used for juices and sauce, while the cranberries you buy in a bag at the store are dry-harvested.

Cranberries are an autumn staple, and New Jersey is the 3rd largest producer! They have health benefits that other foods can’t offer and are a unique part of Garden State’s agriculture. This ruby red berry is a gem we can be proud of!

All this talk about cranberries is making me hungry! Check out some recipes using Jersey Fresh cranberries:

Orange Maple Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

Apple Brandy Mulled Wine

Butternut Squash Cranberry Quinoa Salad

Want to make a cranberry trek of your own? You can visit Whitesbog Village year-round, head over to  Chatsworth Cranberry Festival this weekend, or sign up for next year’s Farm to Fork Fondo , a bicycle ride around the Pine Barrens to visit cranberry farms (with a winery stop) and taste chef-prepared Jersey Fresh bites along the way!

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Whitesbog encompasses 3000 acres of bogs, creeks, and forests. Which offer diversity in wildlife, plus scenic beauty long enjoyed by visitors to this historic cranberry and blueberry farm.

The Whitesbog Preservation Trust invites visitors to learn about the history of cranberry farming, life in a rural South Jersey company town and the individuals and culture that supported the farming operations and Elizabeth White’s efforts to cultivate commercial highbush blueberries. Explore the Village on your own, attend a scheduled program, or sign up for a guided tour. Check our Calendar of Events. Registering is easy and can be done online.

Enjoy your Visit!

General Store

Open Saturday 10 am – 2 pm. 

Our 1924 General Store is filled with local farm goodies including jams, honey, butters, chocolates, handmade goods, books, art, retro toys, candy, collectibles, clothing, and camping and hiking gear. Support the Village restoration efforts with your purchase. 

Maps & Hours

Get Directions, check out the trails, plan your visit to shop at the General Store or attend a special event or program. Check out local places to group into your visit to the Pine Barrens!

Book A Tour Or Field Trip

Year round programs in history, culture and environmental science with hands-on exploration of our outdoor classroom, historic buildings and farm fields. Book early for popular trips including Cranberry Adventures, Pond Ecology, Lenni Lenape, and playing in the past! Programs for Kindergarten through adult guided garden and farm programs and retreats.

Events Calendar

There is something happening all year on the farm! Join us for Saturday Markets, seasonal hikes, membership events, festivals, concerts, dinners, and guided tours. Virtual speaker series, and family programs, book clubs and trivia nights.

Get The answers before you visit including how to contact the state forest, plan your trip, get the 411 on festivals, find out about bathrooms, pets, store hours, trail distances, and so much more.

More About Whitesbog

Whitesbog Preservation Trust is the caretaker of Whitesbog Historic Village, a historic farming village founded in 1857 

Discover ways you can Support us including volunteering, corporate sponsorship, leaving a legacy and becoming a sustaining patron.

Find answers to frequently asked questions about Whitesbog, your visit and planning for events

Whitesbog Preservation Trust (501(c) (3) non profit) is the caretaker of Whitesbog Historic Village, a small historic farming village founded in 1857.

Whitesbog Preservation Trust

120 W. Whites Bog Road #34

Browns Mills, NJ 08015

609.893.4646

[email protected]

Open Daily: Sunrise – Sunset

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What I Learned From Wading in an Ocean Spray Cranberry Bog

Submerged in a nine-acre bog among 270,000 pounds of fruit, I marveled at the lush redness of every cranberry, each the result of 16 months of meticulous calculations to ensure a good harvest.

As I lowered my foot into the water, I waited for my inevitable faux pas. Dressed in rubber waders — oversized overalls connected to boots — I had already been waddling around on the ground, so I was pretty sure I'd either trip over the underwater shrubbery and cause a disruptive splash or pounce my foot down and destroy the delicate crops I was immersing myself into.

But instead, a warm calm swept over me. My legs felt like they were wrapped up in a cozy hug, and I found my hands gently skimming the tiny red orbs floating in the water. And that's when I realized that despite the raucous machinery and farm tools surrounding me, harvesting cranberries in a bog might just be more relaxing than a trip to the spa.

Growing up in a bedroom with a fire-engine red carpet, I'd always found the fiery color angry and abrasive. But standing here, thigh-deep in a pool of perfectly ripened cranberries in the New Jersey Pinelands , I had a new fondness for the hue, finding it soothing and comforting.

And that's the same kind of unexpected contrast I kept stumbling upon from the moment I arrived at this Ocean Spray cranberry farm in Chatsworth, New Jersey.

Raised on Costco bags of the company's Craisins, I expected the familiar national brand to be part of a ginormous farming operation that mechanically churned out berries en masse. But instead, I turned off a rather nondescript stretch of road into Lee Brothers Incorporated , a delightful seventh-generation family-run farm, with only half a dozen people in the bog, including a Lee family cousin and son.

I was welcomed by Steve Lee IV (part of the sixth generation), whose family has been harvesting cranberries on this exact land since 1868. He had tried to escape the family business by studying business and hospitality and then going to work for Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort.

But the cranberries called him back. "I missed my first cranberry harvest and learned that this was in my blood," he said. "I decided it was the last time I wanted to miss a harvest." So, he started steering his career back to the family farm, and after a decade in the hotel industry, he officially returned to the berry business and has now been at it for about 20 years. (His eldest son seems to be on the same track — currently in Cincinnati for college, he recently sent his dad a photo of a 64-ounce bottle of cranberry juice with the caption, "I miss home.")

And it's small family-run farms like this — more than 700 of them spread out through Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington, Quebec, and Chile — that form a cooperative that makes up Ocean Spray, a perfect example of small businesses banding together to service a major consumer space.

Though the Ocean Spray cooperative was formed in 1930, Lee Brothers joined during its third generation in 1952. "We're multigenerational, so we're concerned about preserving and improving our operation here…[but] the thing I take most pride in is that we're bringing one of the major [staples] to the Thanksgiving table," Lee said.

Altogether, the Ocean Spray growers/owners, as they're called, harvest over 100 billion berries each season, with peak harvest in New Jersey going from mid-September through mid-November. Those will show up on Thanksgiving tables in the form of 70 million cans of cranberry sauce, as well as various juices and Craisins products.

But for a turkey garnish we may absentmindedly slather onto our meal, the process from farm to dinner table is intricately complicated. The 16-month plant cycle means that while the berries are being harvested for this season, next year's buds are already there, so there are always dueling schedules to consider.

Add that to the four different cranberry varieties that Lee Brothers grows — Stevens, Crimson Queen, Mullica Queen, Demoranville — each with slightly different timelines, plus the constant adjustments needed to account for weather changes and irrigation needs on the 1,886-acre farm, and it's a nonstop juggling gig.

"This is not for the faint of heart," Lee admitted, saying that dealing with regulatory measures and environmental concerns add to the challenges. And even in the midst of a global pandemic, they quickly instilled safety measures — mask requirements and equipment disinfection — and kept on going. "The cranberries don't read the newspaper," he joked. "They're still coming, so I've got to be ready."

The process goes way beyond bobbing for cranberries, as the Ocean Spray commercials in the mid-2000s might have suggested. In fact, the berries don't even grow in water. The pollination starts by renting bees from Pennsylvania in July, so that the fruits can start growing on the dry ground in August. At a quick glance, the dry bogs just look like low-lying shrubs, but a closer look reveals grape-sized fruits. (New Jersey's cranberries tend to grow large and are used to make SDC, shoptalk for sweet dried cranberries, better known as Craisins.)

By October, the berries on top turn that rich red hue, while the underside of the plants reveals white berries, which are earlier in the ripening process, but used to make white cranberry juice, which tastes milder and sweeter . The bogs are then flooded as part of the wet harvesting method, most common in New Jersey. "The reason we float them is that it's a much more efficient way to get them off," Lee explained while cutting open a berry to expose its hollow air chambers that make them so buoyant.

After strapping on a pair of waders, farm operations lead Paul Fitzpatrick — one of four full-time employees at Lee Brothers Incorporated and a third-generation New Jersey cranberry farmer himself — guided me into the center of a flooded bog, a nine-acre bed of the Stevens variety, which will produce 2,700 barrels at 100 pounds each.

He advised me to take large steps to avoid tripping over the plants underneath and not go too close to the edges, where there's a ditch around the circumference. But those worries melted away as soon as I was enveloped by berries as far as the eye could see.

It didn't take long to enter the mesmerizing trance of watching the cranberries disappear underwater into the berry pump, which transports the cranberries from the bog into a machine that cleans and sorts the fruit from the leaves. The berries then get put into the back of a truck, which can hold 40,000 pounds of fruit, while the leaves get sorted into compost for a blueberry farm in the area — just one aspect of the sustainable nature of the process. Another part: The water used to irrigate the bogs actually leaves cleaner than when it comes in, since the process serves as a natural filtration device.

"Our generation is more conscious of the environmental needs just because there's more awareness now," Lee said, noting that another device they've added monitors soil moisture so that they know exactly when the crops need to be watered, which doesn't just save water, but also cuts back on diesel fuel. And most importantly, the bogs actually renew the surrounding wetlands, netting a positive impact on its surroundings.

Before I knew it, I had a rake in my hand, helping to gently push the cranberries toward the pump. And when I mastered that task, I graduated to using large boards to guide the fruit in the right direction.

While harvesting always sounded like hard physical labor, this couldn't be further from that reality. I quickly understood why Lee hadn't been able to stay away for even one harvest; there is an intrinsically therapeutic quality to wet harvesting — so much so that all the others working the bog that day actually had other jobs, but took vacation days to join the harvest.

"The thing that's really amazing about our company is that at the end of the day, it's really a family." Lee said. "And what's really exciting for us is that people are now understanding the health component. Cranberries are good for you — it's rich in antioxidants, and cleanses and purifies the body. We've known that for a long time — that's why we look as good as we do!"

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Cranberry Bog Tour - Pinelands Adventures

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Every aspect of our bird walk experience was easy - a breeze. We had a great time and saw numerous... read more

I went kayaking in the Pine Barrens the last two weekends of October. It was wonderful paddling... read more

Cranberry Bog Tour

I stumbled upon the Pinelands Adventures, booked the trip and I am glad I did. My mother and I had a great time and learned a lot of cool things. Visiting the family owned farm was the highlight of the tour. Spending time in the Pinelands with great people and learning fun new things is my idea of a great day!

The visit to the Adams cranberry bog and processing area was a great experience for our party of four. Although I had picked cranberries when I was young, most of the information presented was new to the rest of us. Particularly enjoyed the demonstration of picking and processing equipment given by Jody and George. Rob was also a great tour guide with plenty of entusiasm.

A wonderful, fun, fascinating learning experience in beautiful pinelands of NJ visiting one of the only dry harvest family owned cranberry farm in NJ. Small group, great guide, Thoughtful and informative farm family; demo of dry harvest, viewed and learned how cranberries are processed before they arrive at farmer's markets and grocery stores, Learned about difference between traditional wet and original dry harvesting. Bus transportation provided as well as package dry harvested cranberries to take home. Fee was very reasonable.

This tour was amazing! Our guide, Rob, was full of interesting little facts about cranberries. We toured the Adams Cranberry Farm (Indian Mills Cranberry Company) to see, first hand, how the cranberries are harvested by the "dry" method. I was impressed at just how labor intensive this method is. I never knew there were two ways (dry and wet) to harvest the berries! The owner of the farm, George Adams, was a very sweet man who took the time to show us how the machinery that processes the berries works. All in all a wonderful way to spend a lovely autumn day!

A neighbor suggested going canoeing spontaneously and three couples ended up going, each in a canoe. Fantastic. Peaceful, crystal clean cedar water. Preservation Adventures rented the canoes, took us to the river at mile #6 and we canoed past marker #12 where they picked us up. There's a couple of beaches half way to rest and chill. Easy, fun. Great experience, we had a great time. I'd recommend it again.

Had a great day on the Mullica river and marsh. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the Pinelands and gave us great insight into the plight of Wharton State Forest. Highly recommend a trip to the Pinelands!

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Historic Whitesbog Village

120 W. Whites Bogs Rd #34, Pemberton Township, NJ 08015

(609) 893-4646

www.whitesbog.org

Whitesbog Village is the site of the largest NJ cranberry farm in the early 1900's and the location where highbush blueberries were first successfully cultivated. The village, built between 1890 and 1925, was a self-sufficient hub, with worker housing, a general store, pay office, processing and storage buildings, and a schoolhouse. Its survival owes much to Joseph’s daughter, Elizabeth Coleman White-farmer, naturalist, and entrepreneur-whose idea it was to develop a cultivated blueberry plant and grow the berries on the property.

Today, the village and surroundings include 3,000 acres of cranberry bogs, blueberry fields, and reservoirs located in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest. Many of the village buildings still stand, including Sunigive, Elizabeth White’s home. Travel back in time to learn about the history of cranberry farming, life in a rural South Jersey company town and the individuals and culture that supported the farming operations.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

• Take the Whitesbog’s self-guided tour
• Visit Suningive, the 1923 house where Elizabeth White lived and worked, now the headquarters of the Whitesbog Preservation Trust
• Take the driving tour and enjoy a three-and-a-half mile loop around the bogs with a free map and guide booklet
• Walk the Old Bog Trail, a short nature trail, which traverses the edge of a lake and runs through an old cranberry bog
• Visit the Whitesbog Art Gallery, located in one of the surviving workers houses

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In the pine barrens, an autumnal farming tradition continues to grow, like this article share it with your friends.

Posted on October 27, 2021 by Hunter Hulbert - Community

Some still-producing cranberry bogs in New Jersey are well over 100 years old, most of which can be found in the Pine Barrens. Photo courtesy of Cutts Bros. Cranberry Farm

Long before state laws protected the Pinelands from development and abuse, cranberry farmers nurtured and preserved huge swaths of land to grow the tart, tasty berries that now adorn our salads, complement our turkeys and fill our pies.  

In fact, these early growers, whose ancestors still tend the land, may have saved the Pine Barrens , say New Jersey cranberry growers.  

“Environmental sustainability is a top concern for New Jersey’s cranberry growers because we need a healthy environment to be successful in growing our crop,’’ said Sean Cutts, a fourth-generation grower who serves as president of the American Cranberry Growers Association . “We continue to protect and preserve that land today. We were the original conservationist in the Pinelands.’’  

Bill Haines Jr. Is following in his father’s footsteps by flooding cranberry bogs. His dad first developed the idea as a harvesting technique that is now widely used. Photo courtesy of Pine Island Cranberry Co.

Back in the 1700s and early 1800s, huge swaths of Pineland forests were being cleared to fuel homes, while bog iron was being mined and sand was being scalped for glass works, explained Brenda Connor, founder of Pine Barrens Native Fruits , which grows between 7 million to 8 million pounds of cranberries each year.  

Land was cheap, so farmers bought large tracts and began harvesting this native fruit.  

“By creating cranberry farms, they helped heal the land and provide the long-term stewardship necessary to protect the water and recover the forests,’’ Connor said. “It wasn’t until the 1960s and ’70s that environmental preservation efforts were formalized and provided protections from mass development in the Pine Barrens. Without cranberry farming, South Jersey Pine Barrens might look a lot more like Long Island, N.Y., which was also a pine barrens ecological region before it was built into a metropolis.’’   

In 2020, New Jersey ranked No. 4 in the country in cranberry production. Photo courtesy of Cutts Bros. Cranberry Farm

Today, New Jersey is one of the top producers of cranberries in the nation. In 2020, New Jersey growers produced 49 million pounds of this tasty fruit on 2,700 acres for a value of $14.5 million, ranking New Jersey No. 4 in the country.  

Despite the environment benefits of cranberry growing, Connor said the No. 1 manmade obstacle to their operations is a lack of understanding of the environmental benefits of these boggy farms.  

“Because we are farming in wetlands, regulations can get heavy-handed and many times people just automatically resort to a mindset of any human activity is detrimental,’’ she explained.  

To understand how cranberry cultivation helps preserve the environment you have to understand how they are grown.   

First, cranberries do not grow in water. They are perennial plants that naturally grow on low-lying vines in sandy bogs. They are especially fond of the high-acidic Pinelands soil. Some still-producing cranberry bogs are well over 100 years old.  

Cranberries are perennial plants that naturally grow on low-lying vines in sandy bogs. Photo courtesy of Cutts Brothers Cranberry Farm

Like any perennial, they push through the cold soil in early spring and produce crane-shaped flowers (hence the name cranberries). They typically begin to produce fruit in mid-July and ripen from late September to early November, depending on the variety, explained Stephanie Haines, social media coordinator,  Pine Island Cranberry Co. , another major Pinelands grower.  

That is when water comes into play. When cranberry farms first got underway around 1835, growers hand-picked the crop. In the 1960s, Haines’ grandfather, Bill Haines Sr., developed the idea to flood the bogs with water. Inside, cranberries have small, air-filled chambers that cause the fruit to float, making it easier for farmers to use wet-harvesting equipment to scoop the crimson berries out of the bogs.  

“You get more out with water, and it’s easier on the vines,’’ Haines explained. “We also reuse the water from bog to bog as we harvest one and move on to the next.’’  

That’s why water is so important to these farmers and why they work so hard to protect the land surrounding the bogs.  

“Water is to cranberry farming what our circulatory system is to our bodies,’’ Connor said. “Cranberry growers are diligent stewards of the water since toxins would be a threat to our crops.’’  

Inside, cranberries have small, air-filled chambers that cause the fruit to float. Photo courtesy of Pine Island Cranberry Co.

The rule of thumb is that every bog needs about 10 acres to sustain it, growers explained. Most growers implement forest management plans that include prescribed burns to clear forests of fire-fueling debris. They also thin the forests to promote new growth. And the reservoirs they maintain and the bogs they flood help recharge the groundwater.   

“Our activity preserves the land around us, helps stabilize nearby wetlands and provides excellent wildlife habitat,’’ Cutts said.   

“We do have a special relationship with the land,’’ he added. “It’s special for me to know that I’m working the same piece of land that my grandfather and great grandfather worked. We are very strongly connected to the land. It’s like a member of the family.’’  

Nancy Parello writes frequently for NJ Advance Media/Jersey’s Best. A former statehouse reporter, she previously worked for the Associated Press and The Record.

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2021 issue of Jersey’s Best. Subscribe  here  for in-depth access to everything that makes the Garden State great.

One comment on “ In the Pine Barrens, an autumnal farming tradition continues to grow ”

This is a great article! Thank you for sharing this information. I’ve wondered for many years of there were any cranberry blogs left in Southern NJ! I sometimes pass an old blog and processing center that has been abandoned for decades. I would love to see the harvesting process in person (my grandfathers were farmers but not cranberries) . Is there a farm that allows that? I love our farmers ❤

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Kim Magaraci

Kim Magaraci graduated Rutgers University with a degree in Geography and has spent the last seven years as a freelance travel writer. Contact: [email protected]

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Did you know that New Jersey is the cranberry capital of the country? If you didn’t grow up around the Pinelands, you may have totally missed this side of the Garden State! Plan a trip to hike around a beautiful Pine Barrens cranberry bog and you’ll learn all about the sweet history of this New Jersey industry.

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To take a look at the Cloverdale Farm County Park trail maps and to learn more about current conditions, visit the Ocean County Parks website.

While Fall is the best time to visit a Pine Barrens cranberry bog, these New Jersey agricultural landmarks are beautiful in all seasons. If you want to see more of them,  New Jersey’s Historic And Beautiful Cranberry Trail Is A Perfect Day Trip Drive .

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Take our guided evening hike to get a different perspective of the forest under the light of the moon. »

ADA Accessible Nature Rx Hike

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Mullica River – 5-Hour Paddle – For Experienced Paddlers

The Mullica River canoe and kayak trail is a favorite for paddlers looking for a longer journey through Wharton State Forest. Paddlers on this trip begin at the Beaver Dam area and end at Pleasant Mills. »

Mullica River – 8-Hour Paddle – For Experienced Paddlers

The Mullica River canoe and kayak trail is a favorite for paddlers looking for a longer journey through Wharton State Forest. Paddlers on this trip begin at Atsion Lake dam and end at Pleasant Mills. »

Mullica River – Overnight Trip

The Mullica River canoe and kayak trail is a favorite for paddlers looking for a longer journey through Wharton State Forest. This trip is for paddlers who have reserved campsites at the Mullica River campground and plan to camp overnight. »

Boat Rentals

Boat rentals are available for use on Atsion Lake and Goshen Pond »

Weird Pine Barrens Cryptid Night Hike

Have you ever had an experience you simply cannot explain, or witnessed something so strange it made no sense? The NJ Pine Barrens are full of mysterious and unexplainable cryptids from Bigfoot and the Jersey Devil, to glowing orbs which float silently among the trees of the overgrown Central Line. On the October 28th Cryptid  »

Autumn on the Batsto

Explore the beautifully changing foliage of the Pine Barrens with a guided paddle »

Harrisville History Tour; 19th Century Life Along the Wading River

Get a glimpse into what life was like in the Pine Barrens along the Wading River during the 1800s. »

The Jersey Devil and Pine Barrens Folklore Guided Hike

The Pine Barrens have long been a place where legends, tales, and mythical creatures are born. For many years, these stories were not written down, but told over a roaring campfire or whispered in dark corners from person to person. Join us for a guided hike in the forest where we’ll continue in the rich  »

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Learn the basics of kayaking with instructor Allison Hartman in our three-hour class. This introductory program is designed to help you feel comfortable while enjoying this great outdoor activity. »

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Pine Barrens Discovery Tour

A unique exploration on land and water in the Pine Barrens »

John McPhee’s Pine Barrens Today

Step back in time to see the places made famous in John McPhee's book The Pine Barrens. »

Nature Journaling

Explore and experience nature in a new way through nature journaling! »

Mullica River 101 Guided Tour

A three hour guided trip on one of the most beautiful and diverse stretches of the Mullica River »

Wildflower Exploration

Come with our experienced guide and see the different plants that bloom throughout the year! »

Upper Batsto Guided Tour

Come explore the remote and beautiful upper Batsto River on a fun and challenging trip for experienced paddlers! »

Industries in the Pines

Join your guide, Jeff Larson, on a trip to explore what remains from past industries of the pines and be amazed at how nature has reclaimed the forest. »

Cranberry Farm Tour

All tours are subject to change due to weather and harvest availability.   Join Pinelands Adventures on a tour of one of the Pinelands’ premier cranberry farms.   You’ll get an overview of the cranberry operation and: Meet the farmers and watch them harvest berries in the bog Understand how and when bogs are flooded  »

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The Magnificent Cranberry!

Cranberry Recipes

The North American cranberry industry has a long and distinguished history. Native peoples used cranberries as food, in ceremonies and medicinally. They mixed cranberries with deer meat to make pemmican, a convenience food that could be kept for a long time. Medicine men used them as poultices to draw poison from arrow wounds, and women used the juice as a dye for cloth. In New Jersey, the Delaware Indians used them as peace symbols. They got their name, “crane berries,” from the early German and Dutch settlers who thought their blossoms resembled the neck and head of a crane.

Revolutionary War veteran Henry Hall planted the first commercial cranberry beds in Dennis Massachusetts in 1816. Today cranberries are farmed on approximately 40,000 acres (16,200 hectares) across the northern United States and Canada.

Cranberry cultivation in New Jersey is believed to have begun In 1840. The State Board of Agriculture report of 1874 states that in 1840 a man by the name of John Webb established a cranberry bog in Ocean County near Cassville, and it is reported that he received $50.00 per barrel for his cranberries. They were bought by ship merchants who sold them to whalers. Cranberries were kept on board ships in barrels of cold water for the sailors to eat. They contained Vitamin C and helped ward off scurvy, which plagued seafarers on long trips. When Cranberry grower Elizabeth Lee of New Egypt decided to boil some damaged berries instead of throwing them away, she liked the tasty jelly so much she started a business selling "Bog Sweet Cranberry Sauce." That was the beginning of the Ocean Spray company, which still operates in New Jersey today!

New Jersey is currently the third largest cranberry producing area in the United states following Massachusetts and Wisconsin. Currently, New Jersey has approximately 3,600 acres while Massachusetts has 11,000 acres. Burlington, Atlantic, and Ocean counties are major cranberry growing areas in New Jersey. The native fruit is also grown in Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Middlesex, and Monmouth counties.

The state's leading cranberry grower is William S. Haines of Chatsworth, who has over 700 acres planted in cranberries. Haines' family has a history of cranberry growing. His grandfather, Cap Haines, a Civil War veteran, built cranberry bogs in an area known as The Birches "about 1895," according to Bill.

The North American cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon, Aiton, is a member of the family Ericaceae that is composed of about 1350 species including Scotch Heather (Calluna vulgaris), Rhododendrons (Rhododendron spp.) and Blueberries (Vaccinium augustifolium, V. corymbosum). Cranberries are a low-growing, vining, woody perennial plant with small, alternate, ovate leaves. The plant produces stolons (horizontal stems) up to 6 feet (2 m) long. Short vertical branches, or uprights, 2 to 8 inches (5 to 20 cm) in height, grow from buds on the stolons and these can be either vegetative or fruiting. Each fruiting upright may contain as many as seven flowers. Pollination is primarily via domestic honey bees.

The majority of cranberries are harvested between September and October, and occurs in one of two ways. By far the most common is wet or water harvest. The beds are flooded and the fruit is "beaten" off the vine using a specialized harvester. The floating fruit is then corralled and loaded onto trucks for delivery to a receiving station. Wet-harvested fruit is used for processed cranberry products like juice and sauce. Dry harvested fruit is "combed" from the vines using a mechanized picking machine. No water is involved during this process. The fruit is loaded into bins and shipped to receiving stations where it is cleaned and packaged as fresh fruit.

There are approximately 450 cranberries in a pound, 4,500 cranberries in one gallon of juice, and 45,000 cranberries in a 100-pound barrel. Contrary to popular belief, cranberries do not grow in water. They are grown on peat or sandy marshes, or bogs. Because cranberries float, the bogs are flooded when the fruit is ready for harvesting. The mechanized harvesters are then driven around the bogs, loosening the berries so they float to the surface where they are then collected.

Of all fruits, only three - the blueberry, the Concord grape and the cranberry, can trace their roots to North American soil. And of those, none is as versatile as the cranberry!

S cientific research is revealing how healthful cranberries can be. Packed with nutrients like antioxidants and other natural compounds, cranberries are a great choice for the health conscious consumer. Cranberries are available in a wide variety of forms including fresh fruit, juice, sauce, and dried. Juices and sauce are available year-round at your grocery retailer. Fresh fruit is generally available from September to December. Include more cranberries in your diet today and start eating healthier today.

Cardiovascular -Health Preliminary research shows that cranberries have the ability to decrease total cholesterol and LDL, or bad cholesterol, and increase blood flow.

Anti-Cancer -Cranberries are rich in flavonoids. These phytonutrients have been shown to inhibit certain types of cancer.

Ulcers - New research suggests compounds found in Cranberries may inhibit ulcer-causing bacteria from sticking to the stomach wall.

Anti-Aging -Polyphenolic compounds found in Cranberry may help to protect against neurodegenerative diseases, and the memory and coordination losses often associated with aging.

Urinary Tract Infection - The Proanothcyanidins found in Cranberries can prevent urinary tract infections by inhibiting E. coli bacteria from attaching to the urinary tract wall. The National Kidney Foundation recommends drinking at least one large glass of cranberry juice a day to help maintain urinary tract health.

PineyPower's Cranberry Sauce

1 package fresh cranberries 1 cup water, or 3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup red wine (optional) 1 cup sugar finely minced zest from 1/2 orange 1/8t. salt - it brings out the flavor! 1/4 c. chopped pecans or walnuts, preferably lightly roasted (also optional)

Place sugar, salt and liquid in saucepan, bring to slow boil until sugar is dissolved. Place berries and zest in pan. Cook over slow heat for about ten minutes, until cranberries pop. Remove from heat; stir in nuts and let cool.

Leftover sauce makes a delicious dip: One package cream cheese 1/2 cup sour cream Cranberry sauce to desired taste 1/4t. hot pepper (or more to taste)

Serve with crackers - very festive, and great with wine!

I've used this recipe with a can of Mandarin oranges. I used the juice with water to equal one cup and cut the sugar just a bit. After the cranberries pop, I added chopped orange pieces, and let it cool.

Cranberry Cole Slaw

1 cup cranberries coarsely chopped 3 cups cabbage -- finely shredded 2 tablespoons celery, diced 2 tablespoons green pepper, diced 1 can seedless grapes, halved 1/4 cup cranberry juice 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon vinegar

Combine cranberries, cabbage, celery, green pepper, and grapes. Mix juice, mayonnaise, honey and vinegar together, then mix with fruits and veggies. Chill until served.

Cranberry Cole Slaw II

Shredded Cabbage Dried cranberries Mayonaise to taste Salt and sugar to taste

Combine cabbage and dried cranberries; add mayonaise to desired creaminess. Refrigerate for several hours, then slowly add salt and sugar, mixing thoroughly and tasting after each addition. Best if refrigerated overnight, allowing cranberries to plump.

Quick Cran-carrot Salad

One package pre-shredded carrots 1/2 (or more, to taste) dried cranberries 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts Mayonaise to taste

Rinse and drain carrots; mix all ingredients together and refrigerate overnight.

Cranberry Mallow Pie

32 large marshmallows or 3 cups miniature marshmallows 16-ounce can whole berry Cranberry Sauce 1 cup chilled whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 (6-ounce) pre-made vanilla wafer or graham cracker crust

Combine marshmallows and cranberry sauce in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly, just until marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour or until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon. Beat whipping cream and vanilla in a small mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Stir cranberry mixture until blended; fold gently into whipped cream. Pour into crust. Chill until set, at least 5 hours. For a cool treat on a hot day, try freezing the Cranberry Mallow Pie until firm. To serve, garnish slices with additional sweetened whipped cream, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Cranberry Party Meatballs

2 1-pound bags frozen cocktail-size meatballs (about 64 meatballs) or make your own 1 16-ounce can Jellied Cranberry Sauce 1 12-ounce bottle chili sauce 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Combine cranberry sauce, chili sauce, cumin and cayenne in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the cranberry sauce is melted and smooth. Add meatballs; stir gently to coat. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes or until meatballs are heated through. Place in chafing dish or slow cooker to keep warm.

Cranberry Spread

1 package cream cheese 2 tbs. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tbsp. sugar or Stevia equilavent zest of 1 orange 1/4 c. finely chopped walnuts or pecans 1/4 c. finely chopped dry cranberries

Combine first 4 ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth. Fold in zest, nuts and cranberries. Refrigerate to blend flavors. Serve with bagels, crackers or fruit.

Cranberry Spinach Salad

Baby spinach Dried cranberries Chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds Mandrian orange sections Plain goat cheese Honey-Lime dressing (combine honey, fresh lime juice, mayonaise and salt/pepper to taste)

Mix the spinach with cranberries, orange sections, and nuts to taste, top with crumbled goat cheese and top with honey lime dressing- scrumptious!

Cranberry-Chicken Salad

Leftover chicken (or turkey), preferably white meat Mayonaise Craisins (Dried cranberries by Ocean Spray) Celery Pecans Hot sauce to taste (Siracha works well)

Chop chicken into small pieces; chop craisins and pecans; dice celery. mix all ingredients together and serve with crackers of your choice, or as a sandwich spread! It's an easy and tasty treat!

Please note: Unless otherwise noted, all articles and photographs on this site are the property of PineyPower, and as such, may not be reproduced without written permission. Thank you.

Pine Island Cranberry Co., Inc.

Haines & haines, inc..

PLEASE NOTE: Pine Island Cranberry does not offer tours for groups or for individuals. As a courtesy, we attempt to provide a list of local farms that do. For detailed information about those operations, you will need to contact them directly.

For a look at cranberry history as well as a chance to see the harvest, your best bet is to contact the Whitesbog Preservation Trust for possible dates ; please note that you will need to call ahead of time, as there is no “walk in” availability. EDIT 2023/10/9: the 2023 harvest at Whitesbog is finished but there are still ongoing cranberry events.

This year, Pinelands Adventures is offering a limited number of October dates for a cranberry bog tour at Theodore H. Budd & Sons. SOLD OUT!

Our neighbors at Lee Brothers are offering guided walking tours during their harvest. Reservations are a must, and can be made through their website. SOLD OUT!

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Cranberry Harvest Hike & Tasting

September 23, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am edt.

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Stroll through the Cranberry Bogs at Double Trouble State Park

Berkeley Township, New Jersey

Description

Added by Catherine Elena Callari

Cranberry Bog is an easy walking trail that's mostly flat with limited elevation gain. Enjoy scenic views of Double Trouble State Park.

This is a very easy hike, and a great day trip to take if you're looking for something simple and relaxing, but still want beautiful scenery and wildlife.

For quick access to the cranberry bog trails, the lot on Double Trouble Road near the Historic Village is where you'll want to start. Entering the park, you'll pass through Double Trouble Historic Village, which is a great opportunity for pictures. This area occupies over 200 acres and includes the village and surrounding bogs. Here you'll find buildings that were once schoolhouses, general stores, sawmills, and cottages from the 1700s to 1900s. The sawmill and cranberry sorting and packaging house were the two most important buildings, as the driving forces behind village and it's inhabitants were the production of lumber from the surrounding cedar trees and cultivation of cranberries; cranberries are still harvested from the bogs today.

The nature trail begins next to the cranberry sorting and packaging house, and runs 1.9 miles through and around the wetlands and cranberry bogs. Throughout, you'll spot plenty of cedar, pine, and birch, and will notice that in some spots, the trail is shaded by a natural canopy. The trail opens up to a beautiful view of the bogs; these areas are perfect for photos (even on gloomier days) and wildlife spotting. If you're looking for an easy and relaxing trip, and don't want to pass up an opportunity for some great pictures, the cranberry bogs and nature trail at Double Trouble State Park are definitely worth visiting.

More information and a guide to the nature trail can be found here: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/docs/double_trouble_nature_trail_guide.pdf .

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Stroll through the Cranberry Bogs at Double Trouble State Park Reviews

Rick Lapolla

Less Than Expected

Overall this is a cool spot to adventure to for a few hours. The unfortunate part is that near the historic buildings are newer and currently in use buildings with vehicles and work equipment surrounding them. Kind of takes away from the experience. Other than that, the trails around the area are pretty nice but most likely more enjoyable in a season other than winter.

Darren Erbe

Great year-round park.

I go to Double Trouble multiple times a year, it's great in every season! It's a nice, easy hike around the bogs and woods. Plus, the historic village is a great for photos. Cedar Creek, which runs through the heart of the park, is also great for kayaking. Depending on where you start and stop, average trip times run from 2 to 6 hours. For more info on access points, this link may prove helpful: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/docs/Double_Trouble_Cedar_Creek_Access_Locations.pdf

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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Cranberry Season in New Jersey

G et ready, cranberry lovers: The tiny, tart berry with the big bounce is about to flood the stores for cranberry season. “We’re headed into our busiest month,” says Ocean Spray spokeswoman Kellyanne Dignan. “The North American cranberry harvest runs mid-September to mid-November, with October really being primarily when most of the crop will come in.”

Between 10 and 15 percent of the crop is in now, she says, noting that September was warm, and the Thanksgiving-dinner staple needs cold nights for best color.

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She’s not worried about this year’s crop for cranberry season, though. “I always say that Mother Nature is our ultimate CEO. … It gets cold every year eventually.”

That springy, bouncy quality that healthy cranberries have comes from the four air chambers inside the fruit, which is also why they float so well (key to a good harvest). The bounce was accidentally discovered in the 1840s by New Jersey grower John “Peg-Leg” Webb; because of his wooden leg, he poured berries down the stairs instead of carrying them. Only the best quality berries bounced down to the bottom.

Ocean Spray may not bottle its juice in Bordentown anymore – that facility is now home to Bai Brands’ coffeefruit drinks – but the giant cranberry co-op still relies on fruit grown in New Jersey. In fact, if you’ve bought a bottle of Ocean Spray juice recently, you might have seen the photo of a fifth-generation cranberry grower from Chatsworth on the label.

Out of the roughly 700 farms overall that grow cranberries for Ocean Spray, about 20 are in South Jersey, Dignan says, and they produce between 500,000 and 600,000 barrels of cranberries a year. New Jersey is the third-largest cranberry-producing state, behind Wisconsin and Massachusetts.

“We always say here at Ocean Spray that Massachusetts and New Jersey are the spiritual home of the cranberry industry, since Ocean Spray was founded by three growers, two from Massachusetts, one from New Jersey.” The co-op, which was founded in 1930, is marking its 85th harvest this year.

Despite what you’d expect from photos (and all those Ocean Spray commercials), cranberries aren’t actually grown in water. They’re “wet harvested” by flooding the bog and loosening the berries from the vines, allowing the ripe berries to float to the top. “I think that the harvest is so beautiful, it’s really unique,” Dignan says. Wet harvested berries are used to make juices and sauces, while berries that are “dry harvested,” or mechanically combed off the vine, go right to the produce aisle so you can make your own cranberry sauce. Or bread. Or smoothies.

Dignan notes that cranberries, which contain Vitamin C, antioxidants and fiber, are more than just your turkey dinner side dish. “They’re one of only three fruits that are native to North America, and they played a really significant role in our country’s history. They were here when the first European settlers came. Native Americans had used them for thousands of years for different purposes.

“I think people think about them at this time of year, but you can really enjoy cranberries year-round,” she says.

Where to see them

• If you’d like to see a cranberry bog up close, Pine Barrens Native Fruits in Browns Mills offers tours. For more, see: Their website
• In New York, Ocean Spray will be bringing its pop-up cranberry bog to Rockefeller Center for the 11th time Nov. 3-4. Visitors to the “Big Apple Bog” can learn about the fruit and get tips from a celebrity chef.
• If you’re looking for a party, the annual Chatsworth Cranberry Festival is held mid-October in downtown Chatsworth, featuring music, antiques, a classic car show and all the cranberry products you can eat. For more, see: Cranfest website

How to use them

How versatile are cranberries? You could make a whole meal out of them.

• Try the brisket: Martha Stewart
• For your side dish, cranberry risotto: Cranberries.org
• And your vegetable, Brussels sprouts: Coastalliving.com
• To drink, a Cranberry Kiss: Oceanspray.com
• And for dessert, bread pudding: Foodnetwork.com
• If you’re feeling crafty, not hungry, make a topiary: abc.go.com
• Or feed the birds instead: Oceanspray.com

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Hero (Top) Feature Image: © John Stringfellow / BestofNJ.com First Body Image: © Val Roy Gerischer / BestofNJ.com Second Body Image: © John Stringfellow / BestofNJ.com Gallery Images: © Val Roy Gerischer, John Stringfellow / BestofNJ.com, and courtesy of Ocean Spray

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At N.J.’s largest cranberry farm, blissful bogs are big business

• Updated: Nov. 11, 2022, 10:46 a.m. |
• Published: Nov. 11, 2022, 9:00 a.m.

Cranberry bog, Pine Island Cranberry Co. (Peter Genovese I NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

• Peter Genovese | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

There is no more beautiful, brilliant New Jersey color than the blazing crimson of a cranberry bog in the fall.

Tens of thousands of berries bob in a 3 1/2 acre bog at Pine Island Cranberry Co., the state’s largest cranberry grower in the nation’s third-largest cranberry growing state.

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