Cranberry Cultivation Practices in the United States

In the United States, cranberry production thrives primarily in states like New Jersey, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin. These regions offer the ideal conditions, including suitable soil types and climate, for the cultivation of commercial cranberries.

Commercial cranberry farming involves the cultivation of various cranberry varieties in swamp lands or similar environments. Typically, it takes approximately four years from planting to the first harvesting period, showcasing the patience and meticulous care required in cranberry agriculture.

One of the critical challenges in cranberry cultivation is the susceptibility of blossoms to frost damage during the spring. To mitigate this risk, farmers employ various techniques, including flooding the bogs with water to create a protective layer against freezing temperatures. Additionally, the use of diesel oil or chemical treatments helps control weed and moss growth in cranberry bogs, ensuring optimal conditions for the plants' development.

Harvesting cranberries involves innovative methods tailored to the unique growth environment. In some cases, farmers flood the bogs with water to float the berries, allowing for efficient machine-based harvesting. Conversely, in other instances, berries are mechanically stripped from the vines and collected using specialized catching frames, eliminating the need for flooding.

Overall, cranberry cultivation in the United States exemplifies the intersection of traditional farming practices with modern technology, ensuring the consistent production of this beloved fruit nationwide.
Cranberry Cultivation Practices in the United States

Blueberries in the United States: A Cultivation and Harvesting Overview

Blueberries, derived from both wild plants and cultivated varieties, hold a prominent position in the agricultural landscape of the United States. With an annual production exceeding 200,000 tons, the nation stands as the world's foremost producer of these nutritious berries. The economic significance of Vaccinium corymbosum, commonly known as the northern highbush blueberry, cannot be overstated, underscoring its pivotal role as a food crop.

The blueberry industry in the United States is primarily concentrated in ten states, each contributing significantly to the overall output. These states, spanning the geographical breadth of the country, include Oregon, Washington, Georgia, Michigan, California, New Jersey, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Minnesota. Among these, Washington emerges as the leading producer, boasting a staggering yield exceeding 160 million pounds annually. This achievement is underpinned by the extensive cultivation of blueberry bushes across the state, encompassing over 18,000 acres of land, with a distribution of 55% in western Washington and 45% in eastern Washington.

Cultivating blueberries demands meticulous attention to soil acidity, with optimal conditions facilitating fruit production as early as the first year post-planting or establishment. The diversity of blueberry varieties, encompassing both highbush and lowbush types, underscores the adaptability of this crop to varied environments. Maturation typically occurs 50-65 days after blossoming, marking a crucial stage in the harvesting process.

Post-harvest handling is a critical phase in maintaining the quality and freshness of blueberries destined for consumer markets. Upon harvest, meticulous sorting and grading processes are employed to ensure uniformity and eliminate undesirable specimens. This involves the utilization of flotation-type washers to cleanse the berries before manual inspection for quality control.

Packaging plays a pivotal role in preserving the freshness of blueberries, with standardized container sizes such as 473ml or 946ml ensuring convenience and consistency for consumers. Following packaging, blueberries are refrigerated to temperatures between 32°F and 35°F, extending their shelf life to a remarkable 4-8 weeks. This meticulous approach to temperature control safeguards the integrity of the berries, culminating in a product that maintains its nutritional value and flavor profile from farm to table.

In conclusion, the cultivation and harvesting of blueberries in the United States epitomize a blend of agricultural innovation, technological advancement, and stringent quality standards. From the vast expanses of Washington's blueberry fields to the meticulous packaging processes, every stage of production underscores the nation's preeminence in blueberry cultivation and underscores its status as a global leader in agricultural excellence.
Blueberries in the United States: A Cultivation and Harvesting Overview

History of blueberries cultivation

The blueberry is a member of the heath family (Ericaceae) and is native to North America and East Asia. Wild Blueberries emerged on the desolate plain, aptly called The Barrens of Maine, Eastern Canada, and Quebec, following the retreat of the glaciers more than 10,000 years ago.

Blueberry cultivation is thought to have started when Native Americans burned wild stands of lowbush blueberries (V. angustifolium Ait. and V. myrtilloides Michx.) to tend them and to increase production. Wild blueberries were utilized for making medicines, dyes, and flavorings, as well as for direct consumption.

More advanced blueberry domestication began in New Hampshire in 1908 by the United States Department of Agriculture. Highbush blueberry cultivation and breeding programs, which began in the early 1900s, paved the way for the modern blueberry industry

In 1911 Dr F.V. Goville of the U.S.D.A. began a series of crosses among six native selections of three Vaccinium species (V. australe, V. corymbosum and V. angustifoliam). This work led to the release of the first named cultivar Pioneer in 1920.

By the 1930s and 1940s, blueberries were being grown in North Carolina and the West Coast, with further expansion occurring in subsequent decades.

Since 1960 and up to 1977 a further 15 highbush Blueberry cultivars, have been released to the USA industry by various public agencies.

Since the 20th century American blueberry species and varieties have been spread to Europe.

European cultivation of highbush blueberry began after 1920, in the Netherlands. In the following years cultivation spread to Poland and Germany, where the first European blueberry breeding products, crosses of Northern American were introduced.

However, highbush blueberry cultivation did not expand into southwestern European until the 1980s.
History of blueberries cultivation

Blueberry production in United States

Blueberry cultivation in North America is thought to have started when Native Americans burned wild stands of native lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait. and V. myrtilloides Michx.) in Eastern North America to tend them and to increase production. European settlers began managing wild stands in the 19th century. Cultivation of rabbiteye blueberries (V. ashei Reade) began near the end of the 19th century.

The United States is the largest blueberry-producing country, accounting for over half of the global production. Because of the availability of cultivars suitable for very different climatic conditions, blueberry production is widely spread throughout the continental United States.

In 2016, the top seven blueberry-producing states in the United States were Washington (54,470 t), Oregon (52,690 t), Michigan (45,370 t), Georgia (30,400 t), California (24,560 t), North Carolina (20,900 t), and New Jersey (16,111 t). In the United States, 52% of blueberries were used fresh and 48% were processed.

In terms of consumption, the United States and Canada, respectively, are the main consumers of blueberries. Together, these two countries consume 76.82 percent of the global blueberry exports.

Fresh blueberries are available year-round to U.S. consumers due to regional growing areas in the U.S. and imports from other countries. North American blueberries are sold from April through October, with the peak season from mid-June to mid-August. South American blueberries are imported from November through March.

While the United States plays an important role on the international blueberry market as both exporter and importer, it is mainly a net blueberry importer. Domestic production and per-capita consumption of the fruit have followed an upward trend since 2000.
Blueberry production in United States

Duke blueberry

New Jersey is the largest fresh market blueberry supplier in the United States. One of the major varieties of blueberry grown in the state is Duke, named for Duke Galleta, one of the founders of the Atlantic Blueberry Company in Hammonton, New Jersey.

Vaccinium Duke or Blueberry 'Duke' is a popular Northern Highbush. It is a proven performer over a large region of the country. One the best characteristics of 'Duke', is late bloom followed by early ripening.

Best grown in acidic (pH of 4.8 to 5.2), peaty, organically rich, medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Shallow, fibrous roots need constant moisture and good drainage. Plants appreciate good organic mulch.

‘Duke’ had the highest percentage of fruit buds, averaging 63.5% compared to 58.1% and 45% in ‘Elliot’ and ‘Bluecrop’.

Plantings of Duke blueberry also found in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, France the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and northern European countries and in Chile.
Duke blueberry

Blueberry season in United States

Blueberries grow wild in many parts of the world. Canada and the United States supply almost 95% of the total blueberries for the food industry.

The types of blueberries commercially harvested in the United States and Canada are:
*Northern highbush or cultivated blueberries
*Southern highbush blueberry
*Rabbiteye blueberries
*Lowbush or wild blueberries

The season for fresh blueberries in the United States is May through June is the southern states and from June through September in the northern states.

Rabbiteye blueberries

Vigorous productive bushes can grow only where the soil is not saturated with water during the growing season and only for short times during the dormant season. Various forms of irrigation can be applied during dry periods.

In times of drought the fields should be irrigated about every 10 days. mulching with sawdust, hay or straw to a depth of several inches keeps down weeds, keeps the soil cooler in summer, and helps to retain moisture, as well as controlling erosion.

Blueberries are a perennial crop that can produce for more than 20 years. Blueberry planting takes about 2-3 years to establish and harvesting can begin in third or fourth growing season. The berries do not ripen at the same time, therefore harvesting is done several times during the season.

Blueberries grow in clusters, but because the berries ripen at different time, they must be handpicked to harvest the best of the early fruit.
Blueberry season in United States

History of blueberries in United States

The blueberry is native to North America, whereas the closely related bilberry originated in Europe.

Wild berries are important source of food for birds and other wild animals and native people enjoyed them long before the first Europeans discovered North America.

This fruit was used by the Indians to make pemmican, which is prepared by mixing sun or wind-dried strips of meat with melted fat and various types of berries.

French explorer, Samuel de Champlain, found native people gathering wild blueberries for use during the winter months.

Native people originally harvested the berry where they grew naturally, that is in treeless barrens or where forested areas had been burned over after lighting strikes. Later, some tribes, encouraged continuing production by deliberately setting fire to favorite picking areas and this method of pruning resulted in improved growth and increased yield of fruit.

During the 17th century, settlers from England arrived in the New World to begin colonies. In winter of 1620, the pilgrims established a settlement at Plymouth. Their neighbors, the Wampanoag Indians, taught the settler new skills that helped them survive.

The colonist learned how to gather blueberries, dry under the summer’s sun and store them for the winter.

The early settlers began to harvest the fruit for their own use after the manner of the native people. Americans began to consume greater amounts of blueberries after the supply of sugar increased sharply in the latter part of the 18th century, when the fruit became a popular ingredient of jams, jellies, pies and tarts.

The cultivation of blueberries in the United States was initiated in 1906 by Dr. F. V. Coville, a botanist in the US Department of Agriculture. He elected wild highbush berry plants from New Hampshire and New Jersey for his experiments.

The first commercial shipments of blueberries were made in 1916, and the production and utilization of this fruit has increased steadily since then.
History of blueberries in United States

Elderberry (Sambucus)

The American elderberry has also been called blackberry elder, Canadian elder, common elder, common elderberry, elderberry, elder-blow, pie elder and sweet elder.

The elderberries are deciduous shrubs growing naturally in North America. The American elder is native to eastern and central North America, east of the Rocky Mountain, ranging from Nova Scotia south to Florida and west to Manitoba and Texas.

In ancient times these members of the honeysuckle family were often planted around houses to keep away the evil spirits, as well as lighting.

The plant grows in shady, wet places, frequently in the undergrowths of forests. It is highly versatile plant, since almost all its portions have been used by man. It has been used as food, medicine, and to make tools ornaments.

The mature fruits of elderberries are other blue, black, or red. Those that are blue or black are edible for humans when cooked, and are relished, especially when ripe by birds, big games, other wild life, and sometimes by domestic livestock.
Elderberry (Sambucus) 

Early cultivation of blueberries in history

American Indians have gathered the fruit for centuries and still contribute considerably to the harvest. It was they who introduced the practice of burning to control encroaching shrubs, trees and other unwanted “weeds” and to kill the pests and disease that invade the blueberry patches.

This method was very discriminating and the European settlers arriving in Maine found a wild, desolate landscape, often with many thousands of acres charred and apparently barren, In Washington County, Maine, the first area of land was officially designated a “barren” in 1796.

This term is now widely used to describe such wild, open spaces and “blueberry barrens” refer to the area with large patches of lowbush blueberries. It was soon apparent that blueberries thrived under these burning practices and anybody who wanted to could descend on the barrens to harvest the berries for their own use and later resale.

Blueberry pie

By the end of the eighteenth century, most of the land was owned by settlers but others could still freely access it. The freeloaders continued with their indiscriminate burning, which not only increased the area where blueberries thrived but also did considerable damage to the land.

A stumpage fee was introduced in 1871, a levy that was collected from anyone gathering wild blueberries and that was designed to compensate landowners and to reduce indiscriminate burning. Larger landowners began to lease out areas of land to control production and harvesting and that was the beginning of modern management of wild blueberries.

Two innovations that occurred in the mid of 1800s stand out, the first was the introduction of canning, which began in the 1860s out the need to feed Federal troops of the Union Army during Civil War.

Canning undoubtedly helped to increase the demand for wild blueberries, and many tons were shipped out by boats form small poets along the Maine coastline. The building of the railways changed that, however, and by 1899 the Washington County Railroad transported virtually all blueberry fruit and blueberry products out of the area.

The second innovations occurred in 1883. As can be appreciated, picking the small berries individually and by hand is a lengthy and tedious business and one that becomes increasingly uneconomic. The blueberry rake invented by Abijah W. Tabbut, revolutionized the whole business of wild blueberry hosting.
Early cultivation of blueberries in history

Cranberries in United States

Cranberries in United States
In the United States, commercial cranberries production is carried out mostly in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Washington, and Oregon.

There are a number of commercial varieties of cranberries growth in swamp lands or under similar conditions. A period of about 4 years is required from planting to the first harvesting period.

Since blossoms develop in the spring and are susceptible to frost damage, and the plants are susceptible to freezing damage, bogs where the berries are grown may have to be flooded with water, as a protection against cold damage. Diesel oil or chemical may be used to control weeds and moss in cranberry bogs.

For harvesting cranberries, the bogs may be flooded with water to float berries, which can then be shaken off by machine and collected from the water. In other instances, the bogs are not flooded; the berries are stripped from the vines mechanically and collected on catching frame.
Cranberries in United States