Cranberries
Origins:
-Jack Bell, Richmond, B.C., 1946
Unique Characteristics:
-fields flooded
-machine knocks berries from vines
-berries float to top
-collected with rakes
Result:
-quicker than hand-picking

Canada’s first commercial cranberry crop was planted by Jack Bell in Richmond, B.C. in 1946. Every October, the cranberries are collected by a unique method called a "wet harvest." The cranberry fields are flooded with millions of litres of water. Then, a gas-powered machine with spinning frames moves through the field, knocking the berries from their vines. The berries float to the surface and farmers use rakes to push them onto conveyor belts and into collection wagons. This method is much quicker than the old method of picking the small berries off their vines by hand. Next
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