Cranberry should probably be called the ruby of North America. This lovely little berry has been delighting North American palates for thousands of years. Like blueberries, cranberries are vines. These berries can be harvested in the same way – picking them by hand or scooping up the fruit all at once using a machine. Of course, growers will use a much more economical method of harvesting cranberries. So when fall comes, get ready to make a cranberry pond with the wet harvest method, or you can walk while collecting the berries with the dry harvest method.
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Part 1 of 2: Harvesting Cranberries
Method One: Dry Harvest
Step 1. Know the right time to pick cranberries
Cranberries ripen in autumn. You can tell when a berry is ripe when it changes color from green to bright red. This occurs in early September and generally ends in mid-November. Dry-harvested cranberries are less prone to spoilage when compared to wet-harvested ones. Dried berries are fruits that are sold fresh in markets and fruit shops.
Step 2. Choose a dry day
The dry harvest method cannot be carried out if there is still moisture in the plant. This includes rain, moisture from ice or even dew. If there are still signs of dampness on the plant, you will need to delay harvesting until the plant is completely dry.
Step 3. Use a plucking machine all over the field
This plucking machine works the same way as a large lawn mower. This machine has a movable finger-like comb that separates the berry from the plant. Then the berries are transferred to an available container, such as a grass catcher. The berries that are in the container are then collected and sent for processing. One of the disadvantages of using this picking machine is that sometimes the machine can damage the berry. Spoiled berries are best used for making juices and sauces.
If you have cranberry plants that don't grow much, consider picking them by hand. Although it takes more time, it is a more affordable method. However, picking by hand is not recommended if you have a large field of cranberries. Use a plucking machine, which you can order online or through your local gardening supply store
Method Two: Wet Harvesting
Step 1. Know that cranberries grow in swampy areas
The reason there are two ways to harvest cranberries (dry or wet) is because cranberries grow in swampy areas. What many people don't know is that swampy areas are not always wet, so farmers can do dry harvests. Another harvesting option is to flood the swamp with water. So that when the swamp is flooded, the cranberries will detach from the stems and float to the surface of the water, where the berries will become easier to scoop.
Step 2. Flood the swamp
Harvesting begins the day before farmers collect the berries, which is when they pump water into the cranberry field. The amount of water can range from 6-45.7 cm. These swamps are impermeable to water-specifically created with a variety of growing media-so flooding it is not difficult.
Step 3. Stir the water
This machine is more familiarly referred to as an 'egg beater' and is used to agitate the water. This process separates the berry from the plant. Cranberries will float because there are small air pockets inside. Any loose berries will come to the surface of the water.
Step 4. Collect the berries
The net was stretched from one end of the swamp to the other. This net will stretch across the swamp and collect berries as it moves. In addition to nets, sometimes farmers also use machines such as boats to collect berries.
Step 5. Remove the cranberries
The cranberries will be siphoned off and transferred to trucks for delivery to the processing plant. These berries will reach the hands of consumers in several types of processed forms-whether in the form of juice, sauce or other processed foods. Wet harvest causes more damage to the berries than dry harvest, which is why these berries are made into sauces, juices or jelly.
Part 2 of 2: Selecting Cranberries
Step 1. Select berries based on quality
One way to do this is to look at the color. Depending on where the berry grows, it can vary in color from bright red to very dark red. The berry should also feel firm to the touch. These berries are then sold fresh in fruit shops. This berry is also very suitable for use in recipes and as an ingredient in cakes.
Step 2. Bounce the berry
As strange as this may sound, one good way to choose the highest quality berries is to bounce them. Quality berries are generally firm and springy-meaning they will bounce well on the floor. This process occurs because there are air bubbles in the berry. Don't throw the berry as hard as you can on the floor, you can just drop it on a flat surface to check its quality.
Step 3. Collect the chewy berries and discard the rest
You can use fresh berries into recipes, or freeze them for long-term use. Also consider drying some cranberries as a delicious snack.
