Area cranberry growers report abundant harvest, high prices

Maine's cranberry harvest season ended a few weeks ago, and Charles Armstrong, cranberry professional with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, describes 2008 as "a happy year for cranberries. The yield and the price are very high this year C in the exciting category."

Armstrong is hearing reports of 80 cents per pound for processed berries this year, in contrast to last year when the price was 40 to 50 cents per pound. Dry-picked berries are selling at about $1.50 per pound wholesale compared to $1.25 last year. He is now waiting for growers to supply the actual harvest figures.

Armstrong attributes the success of this year's crop to all the rain, which helps to plump up the berries, and successful pollination. According to Armstrong, wild native bumblebees were everywhere. Bumblebees prefer the cranberry blossom to other blossoms, including the blueberry, and are very effective in pollinating cranberries. Some growers are experimenting with purchasing bumblebee hives, and a Canadian source is selling the hives.

Cranberries are one of North America's three native fruits that are commercially grown. The other two are blueberries and Concord grapes. Cranberry growth and survival depend on a fragile combination of soils, the right climate, including timely rain, and successful pollination.

Dennysville cranberry growers Nan and Dean Bradshaw reported a good year. Nan says, "The wet harvest went extremely well. We had wonderful weather." She reports that they sold out of all their hand-picked cranberries and are still getting calls for more. Their wet-harvested berries go to Jasper Wyman & Son. Dean continues to experiment with the control of the tipworm that plagues all cranberry growers. New studies show that the tipworm is attracted to bright yellow lights. He has put out yellow-sprayed pans as a method of attracting the tipworm. He also sweeps the plants with a net. Nan describes the measures as "integrated pest management." The tipworm goes through several stages, beginning with an egg that is laid in the bottom of the bogs and ending with the fly eventually reaching the tips of the plant, damaging the fruiting tips. Now that the harvest season is over, the Bradshaws will start the work of cleaning ditches, checking drainage systems and doing other cleaning chores necessary for the upkeep of their five-acre cranberry plot.

Alden Mingo of Calais, who has about 10 acres of cranberries, has both dry-harvested berries and wet-harvested berries. The dry-harvested berries, marketed as "Mingo's Cranberry Dream," are now in area stores. The wet-harvested berries are sold to Jasper Wyman & Son for processing.

David Lakeman reports that his cranberry yield in Perry was very successful this year.

Almost 85% of Maine's 263 growers are in Washington County. Cherryfield Foods is the largest grower in the state, and Jasper Wyman & Son is a large grower and processor.

The forecast for all U.S. cranberry production in 2008 is 689 million pounds, up five percent from 2007 and slightly below 2006.

Cranberry sauce is regarded as an indispensable part of the traditional American Thanksgiving menus. About 95% of cranberries are processed for juice, sauce or drying. The first cranberry sauce was marketed in 1912. Only about 5% of cranberries are sold fresh. There has been a rapidly growing recognition of cranberries for their nutrient content and antioxidant qualities.