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Harvesting Vine Ripened Cape Cod Cranberries

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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Native Americans had harvested cranberries from natural freshwater bogs throughout southeastern New England for centuries and European colonists followed their example. Some farmers began experimenting with transplanted cranberry plants in the early 1800s, but not until the 20th century did cranberry cultivation become big business. Cape Cod in particular became a major grower, producing about a half million barrels of berries a year and inspiring the Ocean Spray Company to begin canning and selling cranberry sauce in 1912.

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