Did you know that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts produces the second most cranberries of any state in the union? (Michigan is number one by the way.) Many of those Bay State berries are grown right here on Cape Cod.
Not only is that a decent piece of trivia, but it is also an opportunity. With all those bogs a mere stone’s throw away, we lucky Cape Codders are able, with little effort, to explore the exciting world of cranberry harvesting with little time, effort, or expense. Here are some places that we suggest you visit alone, with that special somebody, or with the whole family while it’s still nice enough out to venture outside.
Annie’s Crannies
36 Scarsdale Road – Dennis
Right off the bat, A+ on the name. At Annie’s, guests can stop by at will and the crew may just put you to work cleaning your own berries on their antique screening equipment. Tour their scenic bogs and hear stories about the Cape Cod of old and even ask the proprietor about her career on Broadway (seriously). The gift shop and barn itself is a cranberry museum and is filled with working antique harvesting machinery and equipment. But it’s not all cranberries at Annie’s, see how they home spin their own honey and beeswax candles. And everything is for sale right in their gift shop.
Cranberry Bog Tours – Harwich
1601 Factory Rd
The largest organic cranberry bog on Cape Cod. It’s 20 acres of certified organic farms located right in Harwich. 90 minute tours include a detailed history of the industry on Cape Cod and a practical look into the 12 month operation of a cranberry bog. See the equipment and visit with the farm animals. Tours are offered 7 days a week starting in April and continuing well into the fall, suitable for both children and adults. Reservations are required and may be made by calling (508) 432-0790. At the farm stand visitors can take home an array of cranberry themed grifts as well as farm fresh eggs, soaps, and honey.
A.D. Makepeace Company
158 Tihonet Road – Wareham
The A.D. Makepeace Company offers private group tours all year long and you can dry harvest your own cranberries along the way. During the tour, your guide will show the group examples of an existing bog, currently in production. During the harvest season, every effort will be made to show the wet harvesting operation in detail. Your guide will discuss the yearly cycle of cranberry growing, the methods of harvesting, and give you some insight on being a cranberry farmer.
Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours – Orleans
Governor Prence Inn
66 Route 6A
You will learn about history and cultivation of cranberries, and will see cranberries blooming, growing or being harvested, depending on the time of year. Tours are given by a grower with 28 years of knowledge and experience daily in season at 4 pm, and can also be arranged by appointment 24 hours in advance, based on availability and weather.
The Nantucket Conservation Foundation
Milestone Bog and Windswept Bog – Nantucket
Cranberries have been grown on Nantucket since 1857 and were an important part of the Island’s economy, the Nantucket Conservation Foundation now owns and operates the last two remaining commercial cranberry bogs on the island. Visitors, summer residents, and even long time islanders are often surprised when they learn that the Foundation’s Milestone Bog is one of the oldest, continually operated farms on the Island. The Windswept Bog is also notable because of its status as one of the few certified organic cranberry bogs in the country. Between the two bogs, the foundation produces roughly 2,000,000 pounds of cranberries each year.
By CapeCod.com Staff
