The Traveling Bog
A real cranberry bog... on wheels!
Massachusetts Cranberries' traveling bog is an educational tool used to teach the public about growing cranberries. It contains live plants and is portable to any location via a pull-behind trailer. The exhibits alongside the trailer contain information about different growing seasons. The traveling bog utilizes solar to power its water pump and has an area that showcases what wet harvest looks like with a mock boom and floating berries.
You can catch the traveling bog at the Marshfield Fair in August and the Eastern States Exposition in September, in addition to other local events throughout the year. Pending availability, our Sustaining Members can request the traveling bog be displayed at their business location to further exposure of this innovative educational tool. Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about our Traveling Bog.
Many thanks to cranberry grower Jim Hayward of C.J. Hayward Cranberries who built and maintains the traveling bog for the association.
Cranberry Impact
Cranberries are native only to North America and southeastern Massachusetts is the birthplace of the commercial cranberry industry.
Cranberries are the No. 1 food crop in Massachusetts. The industry supports nearly 6,400 jobs and contributes an economic impact of $1.7 billion annual.
Cranberry growers farm more than 11,500 acres of cranberry bogs in southeastern Massachusetts. With 3-5 acres of support land for every acre of active bog, the cranberry industry protects 60,000 acres of open space.
Learn what's happening on cranberry farms this time of year:
Spring is an active time on cranberry bogs with the vines coming out of dormancy and beginning to grow. A flurry of activities will take place with the most important being frost protection! Other activities include: removal of the winter flood (anytime from mid-February through mid-March); late water flood (by mid-April) to provide pest management benefits without the use of chemicals; weed management; and planting new vines.