If only there were an entire event in which the nation could converge on a small cranberry harvesting town to celebrate the delicious diversity cranberries bring to everyday life. Thankfully, such a celebration starts tomorrow outside Carver, Massachusetts, at Edaville USA where the National Cranberry Festival will span 3 days of cranberry bliss. From 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. on October 9^th, 10^th and 11^th, cranberries will come to life, set on 1300 acre cranberry farm plantation. Live music, dance shows, cooking lessons and more will all take place across three stages, with fresh events each day. The festival will also feature a variety of games and activities, fun for the whole family, including Pony Rides, Irish Step Dancing, Dog Demonstrations and Helicopter Rides. A two miles scenic train ride is also available to take gawking riders around the cranberry plantation, showcasing the cascading beauty of thousands of soon to be picked cranberries growing naturally in their bog harvesting habitat. Read More »

Actually, the Cranberry Institute is a non-profit organization formed in 1951 to bring together cranberry growers and cranberry fans. The Institute promotes research on related health, agricultural, and environmental issues, and promotes continuous cranberry education. Based in East Wareham, Massachusetts, the Cranberry Institute takes its funding from volunteer members involved with the cranberry trade.The Institute’s website is a treasure trove of information on every aspect of cranberries you can imagine. Cranberries were first used as food and medicine by early Native Americans, and the first commercial bed was planted in 1816 in Dennis, Massachusetts. It can be harvested either “wet” or “dry.” In the “wet” process, the cranberry beds are flooded and the fruit is beaten off the wine with a special harvester. In the “dry” process, the fruit is removed with a mechanical picking machine. Read More »