One of the cool things about RedBull is that they say, “yeah, that would be cool.” And they do it.
Cranberries grow in bogs, what’s a bog?
Bogs are one of North America’s most distinctive types of wetlands. They’re strange ecosystems characterized by thick sphagnum moss, acidic waters, peat deposits and a spongy, mat-like substance on the water’s surface. Cranberries thrive best in beds within the bog, which consist of alternating layers of sand, peat, gravel and clay. Cranberry vines produce horizontal stems called runners that may grow up to six feet (1.82 meters) long and can spread profusely over the bog’s floor. [How Stuff Works]
Cranberry bogs occur in the northern part of the US and Canada. They are cultivated in upland areas that have a low water table. This allows cranberry farmers to easily irrigate the cranberry vines and flood them for harvesting. The cranberries are hollow so farmers flood the bogs, then use a tractor to shake off the berries which float. Then farmers gather them up with floating dams to where they are conveyed out of the water into a truck.
A common misconception about cranberry production is that the beds remain flooded throughout the year. During the growing season cranberry beds are not flooded, but are irrigated regularly to maintain soil moisture. Beds are flooded in the autumn to facilitate harvest and again during the winter to protect against low temperatures. In cold climates like Wisconsin, Maine, and eastern Canada, the winter flood typically freezes into ice, while in warmer climates the water remains liquid. When ice forms on the beds, trucks can be driven onto the ice to spread a thin layer of sand that helps to control pests and rejuvenate the vines. Sanding is done every three to five years. [Wikipedia]
Here’s a video from the Cutts Brothers Cranberry farm in New Jersey.
The video below says that Cranberries, Blueberries and Concord Grapes are the only three fruits native to North America, However, Wikipedia has a much longer list of North American Native Fruits.
-Mike
Sources:
Add comment