Starting a week into October, cranberry farmers begin the choreographed practice of wet harvesting century-old bogs – flooding fields, gently “beating” the ripe cranberries off the vines, wading into the bogs to corral the floating berries onto conveyor belts, which empty them into huge containers, and then carting them off to Ocean Spray’s Long Beach Receiving Station.
“The three plus-week harvest is hard work,” shared Ardell McPhail, co-owner, CranMac Farms. “Still, after 33 years, cranberry harvest can be quite magical, especially on a mild day when early morning sun dances on the glistening berries, and we can literally see the fruits of our labors.”
Located on the Southwestern-most coast of Washington State, the Long Beach Peninsula has been growing cranberries for more than 100 years. Acres upon acres of cranberry bogs as well as over twenty varieties of wild edible mushrooms thrive under its ideal coastal conditions of moist sea air, fertile sandy soil and protective evergreens. Surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean, Columbia River and Willapa Bay, the Peninsula is known for its talented chefs and the ready availability of an abundance of freshly caught fish and seafood, giving diners an unmatched opportunity to dine at the source.
For event and destination information, please contact the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau at 800-451-2542 or access the Peninsula’s web site at www.funbeach.com.