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Monday, October 3, 2016

Bring On the Wisconsin Cranberry Harvest

It's no secret, the Wisconsin Cranberry Harvest is in full swing.  

Here at Camp Homeschool, the boots are laid out.


The fog is lifting.


The pumpkins are in place.


That means it's time for Cranberry Harvest!  Really, I don't think the pumpkins care much about cranberry harvest, but the deep oranges and bright reds of the two fruits are so beautiful together I can't have one without the other.

Any questions you want answered about the benefits of eating cranberries?

How about cranberry harvest?  How it's done?

Looking for a cranberry recipe?

I'd love to help you out.  Leave a comment here or at Facebook and I'll do what I can to answer your questions.

AND....head on over to Facebook and like Camp Homeschool.  If I reach 250 likes by the end of our cranberry harvest, I'll pick one winner from all my "likers" and they'll receive a cranberry gift from the heart of cranberry country.

Have a CRANTASTIC Day!!!!

6 comments:

  1. Hi Jennifer,
    Really enjoying your blog. I am curious about your cranberries....do you have a particular company to which you sell them? Also, are cranberries usually sprayed with anything (ie: pesticides) that we should be aware of....we are trying to be 100% organic and wonder what the difference is between organic and non-organic berries.
    Thanks!

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    1. live courageously, I'm happy to be able to share our harvest excitement with the world through my blog - and glad to hear you are enjoying it. We sell our cranberries to Mariani Packaging Company. They are a dried fruit and nut company based out of California. They package dried cranberries under their own Mariani brand, as well as many store brands including Great Value for Walmart.

      We are not certified organic. I fully understand your desire for organic foods. As a mom of 7 I definitely do not want to subject my children to unnecessary chemicals.

      I do, however, think pesticide use is misunderstood. The toxic chemicals of the '70s and '80s have long been banned, and many of today's chemicals are species specific. We use a particular chemical specific to lepidoptera that causes it to molt early so it can't mate. One of our chemicals will only destroy caterpillars less than 3/16". Any bigger than that and they survive.

      Another thing to note is that we live right in the middle of our cranberry marsh; we definitely do not want our family exposed to unnecessary chemicals, nor do we want our ground water polluted. We always use the least amount needed to get the job done, and our fruit is tested for pesticide residue before harvest. I'm proud to say we've never had an issue.

      Thanks for the question. I love talking farming with my readers.

      One last thing. Organic cranberries are available. I know of a local farmer who grows organic and sells at local farm markets, and I'm sure a Google search could point you in the organic direction.

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  2. Thank you so much for your reply on my question...each time I go to Walmart and see the Mariani cranberries I will think of you!
    We are waiting for the organic cranberries to appear in our local store, since we are almost 100% organic now, and gluten free, as well.
    Have a wonderful holiday season coming up, with your fine family.
    Aunt Ruth Ann in Nebraska

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    1. Wow! It's so nice to hear from you. It's thrilling to get comments from family. I hope all is well in Nebraska for you.

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  3. We are doing OK here...lots to do to keep busy, outdoors and inside.
    Right now Gary is building a greenhouse so that he can grow some food over the winter months...it is a slow process though. We discovered yesterday that our local Safeway store now has fresh organic cranberries, so we plan to stock up on them. Can we freeze them just as they are? Thanks!

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    1. Ruth Ann, Yeah! Cranberries can be frozen as is in any freezer bag. When you're ready to use them, no need to thaw. I always use them whole to get the best tart flavor in my baked goods.

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I love chatting with my readers. So go ahead and comment to start the conversation.