cranberry farm tours

Our BERRIES

Visit a bog.

Scroll down to see farms offering Ag-Tourism and cranberry sales. Navigate the map to find a participating farm. Click a map marker to view more information about the venue including contact information and offerings. Additionally check out our Cranberry Harvest Guide under Our Berries for locations where you may be able to see a cranberry harvest in action.

Click a venue's name or photo to view more information about the venue including contact information and offerings.

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Cranberry Farm Tour

All tours are subject to change due to weather and harvest availability.

Join Pinelands Adventures on a tour of one of the Pinelands’ premier cranberry farms.

You’ll get an overview of the cranberry operation and:

• Meet the farmers and watch them harvest berries in the bog
• Understand how and when bogs are flooded
• Observe the equipment and methods used on the farm
• Learn about wet harvesting

For all cranberry farm tours, please meet at our shop fifteen minutes before the tour time. All tours are subject to change due to weather and harvest availability.

Theodore H. Budd & Sons Cranberry Farm has generously invited us back to explore the farm!

Please Note :  This trip does require a bit of standing and walking (up to 200 or 300 yards).

Cranberry Bog Tours

• See all photos

Similar Experiences

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Cranberry Bog Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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• Cranberry Bogs

Visiting Cape Cod Cranberry Bogs at Harvesting Season

Updated: October 25, 2023

During Cape Cod cranberry harvesting season, visitors come from far and wide to see our local bogs awash with color!

Acres of floating cranberries. Farmers surrounded in a sea of red, gathering their crop. Truckloads of berries going off to market. It's fascinating to watch!

On this page, I'll show you what the harvest is all about and let you know the best times and places to see it in person.

Want to wade into a bog among the floating cranberries? I'll give you the inside scoop about guided tours and wade-in-the-bog  experiences, too!

Table of Contents

• What is a cranberry bog  
• When is Cape Cod cranberry harvest season
• How cranberries are harvested
• Where to watch the harvest
• All about guided cranberry bog tours

What is a Cranberry Bog?

Simply put: a cranberry bog is a large, open field where cranberries are grown.

So, where are the berries?

Many harvest-watching newbies are surprised to learn that cranberries don't grow on trees or bushes. They don't grow in water, either.

Instead, they grow on low-to-the-ground vines in a special combination of sand, peat and other organic matter.

* See this article from University of Massachusetts' Cranberry Station to learn all about how cranberries are grown.

When is Cape Cod Cranberry Harvest Season?

Harvesting season begins in mid-September and reaches its peak in mid-to late October.

By mid-November, the season has pretty much come to an end. :(

Planning a trip to the Cape especially to see the cranberry harvest?

Timing your visit can be a bit tricky because most cranberry farmers don't let us know, in advance, when they plan to gather up their berries. 

In the "Bogs to Visit" section farther down on this page, I'll let you know when the harvests usually begin.

* Note: I also update that section whenever I find a harvest starting, or about to start, at our local bogs. So be sure to bookmark this page and check back often!   

How Cranberries are Harvested

What will you see on harvest days? 

That depends on which method the farmer is using to pick the berries:

• Wet harvesting - Also known as "water harvesting", the berries are gathered from a flooded bog.
• Dry harvesting - Picking machines are used to gather the fruit from a dry bog.

Wet Harvesting

The wet harvest is a multi-step process that happens over several days.

To begin, water is flooded into the bog from a nearby water source. 

Next, the farmers drive water-reel machines (a/k/a "egg beaters") through the flooded bog.

The reels churn just below the water's surface, knocking the cranberries off the vines.

Then, more water is released into the bog, raising the berries up so they can float freely.   

Why Do Cranberries Float?

Inside a cranberry, little "air pockets" surround the fruit's tiny seeds.

The air pockets make the berries buoyant, so they float!

How long are the berries left floating?

Not long! 

Once the berries are off their vines, the crop is usually brought in within the next 24 hours or so.  

* Tip: When you see cranberries floating in the afternoon, check back the next day. There's a pretty good chance you'll find the farmers working in the bog.

How are the cranberries removed from the bog? 

First, the farmers lay out a long length of "boom" material to surround the floating berries.

Next, the farmers gradually tighten the boom and push the  corralled berries toward an underwater vacuum system.

The berries are sucked from the water, through a large hose, into a wash plant.

As the berries go through the wash plant, weeds and other debris are separated out and fed into another truck for disposal.

Finally, the rinsed cranberries drop into the bed of a tractor-trailer for transport to a processing facility.

Did You Know?

Wet-harvested cranberries are processed for juices, canned sauces and other commercially-made products.  

Dry-harvested berries are sold fresh at bog-side stands, farm markets and grocery stores.

Dry Harvesting

Only a small fraction of Cape Cod's cranberry crop is dry harvested. So having a chance to see this process is an extra-special experience (IMHO)!

No flooding is involved with this method. Just the opposite. For a successful dry harvest, the berries must be free of moisture.

The farmers use a picker machine to "comb" the berries from the vines and deposit them into a container.

Then the berries are sorted to remove any damaged or over-ripe fruit and bog debris.

And finally, the most delicious cranberries you've ever tasted are bagged and ready for sale. :-)

Kept cool and dry (not rinsed!), fresh cranberries will stay good for a month or more.

They also freeze well for up to a year.

Where to Watch the Cranberry Harvest

Topping my list of the best places on Cape Cod to watch the cranberry harvest is ...   

Fresh From the Vine Cranberry Farm

300 Main Street (Route 28) West Yarmouth, MA

What makes this bog so special?

Chris and Lindsay Wilson, owners of Fresh From the Vine , are a super-friendly, hard-working team who thoroughly enjoy sharing their love of cranberry farming with all of us.

They welcome the public to watch them at work in the bog ... and they tell us when to come see the harvest ! 

* Follow Fresh From the Vine on Facebook to find out when they plan to flood the bog and corral the crop.

There's plenty of safe, off-street parking here ... a real plus, especially when you have little ones in tow!

Want to buy fresh cranberries? (Hint, hint: Yes, you do!)

The Wilsons sell their dry-harvested berries at their Fresh From the Vine farm stand right there by the bog.

The stand is open nearly every day from around the second week in October until they've sold out their entire crop, usually around mid-November.

* 2023 Update : They'll be wet harvesting here on: October 21st and 22nd; October 28th and 29th; and November 4th and 5th, rain or shine!

Old Colony Bog

Knob Hill Road & Mayflower Terrace South Yarmouth, MA

This big, beautiful cranberry bog stretches nearly the entire length of Knob Hill Road and Mayflower Terrace. So there's plenty of room to watch and take photos from the roadside when the berries are floating!

You can also reach Old Colony Bogs from the Cape Cod Rail Trail.

Get off the Rail Trail at the North Main Street/North Dennis Road crossing in South Yarmouth. Then go north, across the bridge over Rt. 6. You'll see Knob Hill Road on your right, just after you've crossed the bridge.    

Look for harvest activity at Old Colony Bogs in mid- and late October.

* 2023 Update: Work began here during the second week in October. As of October 22nd, there's still one large section of bog left to harvest. That'll likely happen in the next week. 

More Bogs in Yarmouth

With so many acres of active bogs in Yarmouth, there's no shortage of other places to look for harvesting activity around town.

You'll find a few more spots to watch in the areas around:

• 363 W. Yarmouth Road; and
• 95 Winslow Gray Road ( Syrjala Conservation Area walking trail to bogs)

Harvesting usually begins at these bogs around Columbus Day weekend and continues into November.

FYI: The only place to park on West Yarmouth Rd. is along the road shoulder. Park at your own risk! And please be sure not to block the farmers' access to the bogs!!

* 2023 Update: The harvests started on the West Yarmouth Road bogs during the weekend of October 13th. As of today (Oct. 25th), they're now working at the Syrjala Conservation Area bogs.

Beaton's Discovery Hill (Rt. 6A) Bog

295 Route 6A East Sandwich, MA

Looking for a harvest in September? This is one of the first places on Cape Cod where we see it happening.

Watch for the farmers bringing in the crop at this bog during the third week in September. 

You'll find limited, off-road parking alongside Rt. 6A.

* 2023 Update: They harvested here on September 12th, a week earlier than usual on special request from Ocean Spray. Darn! I missed it this year. :(

Thacher Cranberries

Great Western Road Harwich, MA

Cycling enthusiasts: this one's for you!

As you ride along the Cape Cod Rail Trail in Harwich, you'll pass by Thacher Cranberries on Great Western Road.

You can get here by car, too. Head to the area around 201 - 280 Great Western Road. Just be aware that there's very little, if any, safe parking alongside the road.

Look for wet harvesting to start here in early to mid-October.

*2023 Update: My first sighting of floating berries along Great Western Road was on October 8th. Corralling and pumping was still happening when I took a ride along this section of the bike trail on October 23rd.

Hall's Cape Cod Cranberries

Depot Road Harwich, MA

This is another great stop along the Cape Cod Rail Trail in Harwich!

Farmed by generations of the Hall family, this bog is at the Depot Street trailhead on the Rail Trail.

If you're coming by car, you'll find a small parking area across the street from this iconic building ...

When will you see cranberries floating at Halls' bogs?

Follow Halls Cape Cod Cranberries on Facebook for their occasional posts.

*2023 Update: I saw berries being gathered at Halls' North Depot bog on October 23rd. Still lots more to do at Halls bogs in the days ahead!

A Bit of Cape Cod Cranberry History

The Ocean Spray screenhouse dates back to the 1920s. It was described back then as a "Community Cranberry Warehouse" where "growers may sell their berries or have them packed on account".

Here's what it looked like nearly a century ago:

See the Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce ad on the side of building? It's a little faded now, but it's still there!

Cranberry Bogs in Falmouth

There's a lot of cranberry-growing acreage in the town of Falmouth, too!

When the calendar turns to October, here's where my Falmouth-area friends go to watch the harvest.

There's limited off-street parking, mainly on the road shoulder, in each of these locations.

• Old Barnstable Road to Carriage Shop Road There's a large area of bogs stretching between 143 Old Barnstable Road and 714 Carriage Shop Road in East Falmouth. (Street addresses are approximate.)
• E. Falmouth Hwy. (Rt. 28) Bogs - in the area of 633 E. Falmouth Hwy., East Falmouth, near Rocky's Gym.
• Wing Pond Conservation Area Bogs - walk-able via Wing Pond Woods trails. There's a small-ish parking area at the end of a dirt road off Rt. 28A. ( Walking trail info and map ). You can also bike ride to the conservation area bog on the Shining Sea Bikeway. It's about 1.9 miles south of the North Falmouth trailhead.

•   Thomas B. Landers Road Bogs - in the area around 64 Thomas B. Landers Road near the intersection with Turner Road.

* 2023 Update: Work began on the Carriage Shop Road/Old Barnstable Road bogs during the first week in October and finished up on October 16th.

The weekend of October 21st, berries were floating at Wing Pond bogs; and harvesting finished up at the bogs near Rocky's Gym and on Thomas B. Landers Road.

Guided Cranberry Bog Tours

Only two cranberry growers on Cape Cod give guided tours.

And only one offers a special tour where you can wade into the bog. (I've done it. And I have to tell you, it was a mind-blowing experience!)

So let's start there ...

Cranberry Harvest Tours to Walk or Wade

Long-time Cape Cod cranberry farmer, Dave Ross, and his partner, Patty, offer two different types of bog experiences at harvest time:

A walking tour where you'll see the crew at work and learn all about cranberry farming on the Cape ...

And a special wading tour where you can don the waders and climb in among the berries ...

Dave operates cranberry bogs in several different towns on the Cape. So tour locations, dates and times vary from week to week, according to the crew's work schedule.

When you call to make your reservation (required for all tours!), Patty will let you know where and when tours will be available. 

For more information and reservations, see Dave & Patty's Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours website.

Organic Cranberry Farm Tours

On a guided tour of Leo and Andrea Cakounes' property in Harwich, you'll learn all about a year in the life of a working organic cranberry farm.

Over the course of about 90 minutes, Andrea shares her wealth of knowledge about how an organic cranberry bog is formed, planted, tended and harvested.

You'll also have a chance to meet the resident farm animals and learn how they, together with the native birds and bees, all contribute to the success of this organic cranberry farm.

You won't see berries floating on the Cakounes' bogs.

But you'll definitely come away from this tour with new appreciation for the hard work and dedication it takes to bring organic Cape Cod cranberries from the farm to your table!

Advance reservations are required. No drop in's, please!

For details and reservations, see Leo and Andrea's Cranberry Bog Tours website .

Related Pages:

• Quick & Easy Cape Cod Cranberry Sauce Recipe

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Welcome to Our Cranberry Farm

Leo & Andrea Cakounes operate the largest organic cranberry bog on Cape Cod.  Located in Harwich, MA, daily tours of the bog are offered seasonally. Learn about the 12 month operation of a cranberry bog.  See the equipment and visit with the farm animals. Please visit our FAQs page to see if our tour is right for your summer fun.   See tour times and contact us here to book your tour.

• Category : All Articles , Excursions & Tours
• Tag(s) : AD Makepeace , Annie Crannies , Cape Cod cranberry bog tour , Cranberry Bog Tours , cranberry tours on cape cod , tour a cape cod cranberry bog , where to get cranberries on cape cod

4 Photogenic Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours

• Maureen Thompson
• September 5, 2023

Cranberry is a wild, native fruit grown in Cape Cod, grown in sandy bogs and marshes on long-running vines. The cranberry is a the second largest cash crop of Cape Cod .

If you plan to visit the Cape during the harvest season, or any time in the year, consider taking a cranberry bog tour to learn more about the history and the process of our native fruit.

Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours

1. cranberry bog tours.

Tour time(s) : Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Duration : 1.5 hours

Website : www.cranberrybogtours.com

Located in Harwich, the Cranberry Bog Tours has the largest cranberry bog on Cape Cod.The Cranberry Bog Tour is available seasonally in the spring, summer, and fall. It is a guided tour that explains the daily operations on the farm and the methods of harvesting. In addition, there is a farm stand and gift shop where you can buy cranberry-related items such as jam and honey.

The Cranberry Bog Tour is educational and informational, and appropriate for kids old enough to be interested in the tour.

Costs/Packages for Cranberry Bog Tours

You will need to make a reservation for your cranberry bog tour. The tour costs $20 for adults and children. Please note credit card payments are not accepted.

You can book your ticket and get scheduled times for the tour by calling the Cranberry Bog Tours on 508-432-0790.

2. Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tour

Tour time(s) : Harvesting Season

Duration : 1 hour

Website : www.capecodcranberrybogtours.com

The Cape Cod Cranberry Tours is situated at the Governor Prence Inn, Orleans. You’ll see cranberry harvest in action and learn about the history and cultivation of cranberries. Tours are guided by a knowledgeable grower with up to three decades of experience.

This tour allows you to learn about the historic cranberry industry on Cape Cod in a fun and exciting way.  You’re likely to see local birds like the mourning dove, American Goldfinch, and the White-throated sparrow, so you might also want to bring your cameras or binoculars.

Depending on the time of the year, you’ll see blooming cranberry bogs. Come in your comfortable walking shoes as you will be walking on this cranberry bog tour.

Costs/Packages for the Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours

The tour costs $20 per person, and the minimum group size for a tour is four persons.  It is available at 4 pm daily based on the weather, and you can also reserve your place based on availability.

You have to reserve your space for the Cape Cod Cranberry Bog tour by calling 508 237 5478 or send an email to [email protected].

3. A.D. Makepeace Company Bog Tour

Tour time(s) : All year round

Website : www.makepeacefarm.com

Located just off-Cape,  the A.D. Makepeace Company is one of the world’s largest cranberry growers. They offer all-year-long private group tours, which come with a guide. You can dry harvest your own cranberries while on tour.

In the fall, you’re in for the beautiful wet harvest. Then, by winter, you witness the vines’ leaves change to the rich red cranberry color.

It is a guided tour. Throughout the tour, your guide will explain the yearly cycle of cranberry growing, methods of harvesting, and insights on what it means to be a cranberry farmer.

The A.D. Makepeace Company hosts an annual Cranberry Harvest Celebration in early October. You can join the event to learn more about cranberries.

Costs/Packages for the A.D. Makepeace Company Tours

There are group and private tours offered all year long. For groups, there have to be ten or more people.

For details of tour costs and packages, call 508 295 5437.

4. Annie’s Crannies

Tour time(s) : Fall

Website : www.anniescrannies.com

Sitting at the heart of the historic village of Dennis, Massachusetts, Annie’s Crannies is where you will find some of the best cranberries in Cape Cod. In 1994, Annie Walker, the owner of Annie’s Crannies, started cultivating cranberries to continue a family tradition that began with her grandfather, Ben Walker, combining over 200 years experience of growing cranberries.

You’ll see the tools used in harvesting cranberries, as well as large, blossoming cranberry bogs as Annie walks you around and shares her wealth of knowledge with you on the cranberry industry.

In addition to the cranberry bog tour, you will see how beeswax candles and honey are made from cranberry blossoms.As you walk past plants, she tells you about the bees needed to pollinate them.

An exciting part of the Annie’s Crannies tour is the gift shop where you can buy fresh berries. It also has other products such as soaps, fresh fruits, jams, cranberry recipes, and the Annie’s crannies Gift Boxes.

Annie’s Crannies tours take place during the harvest season during October and November on Saturdays and Sundays.  The Annie’s Crannies gift shop is always open during the harvest season – October to November.

If you want the full experience, the tour crew can put you to work by letting you clean your berries on their antique screening equipment.  You’ll also see the dry picking form of cultivation and dry picked fresh Howes variety cranberries.

The Annie’s Crannies tour is ideal for everyone if you’re interested in cranberries and their production. In addition, it’s an excellent way to learn about the history of farming cranberries in Dennis.

Costs/Packages of Annie’s Crannies Tours

Email or call to make reservations by sending an email to [email protected].  All prices are available when you reach out via this number: 508 385 5517.

The best cranberry tours in Cape Cod are provided by Cranberry Bog Tours, Cape Cod Cranberry tours, and A.D. Makepeace company. These tours are unbeatable, from exploring cranberry products to seeing the cranberry bloom to getting the harvest done yourself.

If a cranberry bog tour on Cape Cod is on your bucket list, these four tours are undoubtedly your best choices.

Learn more about Cape Cod’s farm tours !

• AD Makepeace , Annie Crannies , Cape Cod cranberry bog tour , Cranberry Bog Tours , cranberry tours on cape cod , tour a cape cod cranberry bog , where to get cranberries on cape cod

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The Best Cranberry Bog Tours, A Scarlet Surprise in Massachusetts

October 27, 2020

Vera Andrews

Until you’ve seen the untold  beauty of a raspberry-ripple  cranberry bog, you haven’t lived. Here’s how to find the best cranberry bog tours in Massachusetts. With a splash of history on the side. From Ella Buchan on Drive USA.

Cranberry Bogs in Massachusetts

I’m a little obsessed with cranberries since visiting Massachusetts.

The tart, bouncy little rounds are the official state berries, growing in bogs that dye the landscape with ruby pools around harvest time.

Perhaps this northeastern state is just like a cranberry – bursting with flavour and juicy history, from the very first settlers in the 17th century to first whispers of revolution against British rule.

Or perhaps I’ve had a little too much cranberry wine…

5 Cranberry Bog Tours in Massachusetts

If you fancy wading through these scarlet fields yourself, you’ll need to plan ahead. In most cases, you’ll need to book at cranberry bog tour in advance. And, of course, you have to visit in season. The cranberry harvest runs from mid September to mid November.

Here are some of the best cranberry bog tours, according to locals:

A.D. Makepeace Company (Featured in this article)

A.D. Makepeace is the Cranberry farm featured in the travel experience article below. Our researcher rated it one of the best cranberry bog tours in Massachusetts.

158 Tihonet Road, Wareham508-322-4028,  admakepeace.com

Cape Cod Cranberry Realty Trust

These Cape Cod cranberry growers live on the “elbow” of Cape cod, just beyond Hyannis. 

The Governor Prence Inn, 66 Route 6A, Orleans; Sea Shore Park Inn, 24 Canal Road, Orleans

508-255-1216,  governorprenceinn.com ;  seashoreparkinn.com

Flax Pond Farms

Jack, Dot and family will guide you around this cranberry bog. Check in advance and reserve your spot.58 Pond St., Carver Sadly, these premises have permanently closed.

Mayflower Cranberries

Run by Jeff, the Executive Director of the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association, look out for quirky cranberry bog tours that involve fine dining waist deep in scarlet berries.

72 Brook St., Plympton781-585-1999,  mayflowercranberries.com

Stonebridge Farm

Stone Bridge Farm offers cranberry bog tours during October, which include a guided tour of their farm animals amid their family run business.

186 Leonard St., Acushnet508-951-1551 or 508-951-1902,  stonebridgefarmevents.com

The History of Cranberries in Massachusetts

As with everything in Massachusetts, you’ll find the cranberry bogs entwined in the history of the founding of modern America. 

Like the tart fruit, Massachusetts doesn’t shy away from the sourer aspects of its history. Rather it embraces its past, with all the complexity and injustices – from the destruction of Native American people, cultures and traditions to the infamous Witch Trials in Salem.

A DIFFERENT LOOK AT AMERICA’S HISTORY

An hour south, Plymouth is where New England was established. Brits landed here in 1620, having decided against Cape Cod’s Provincetown due to the lack of water and abundance of angry arrows from the native population.

A replica ship, the Mayflower II, now stands where they docked, while a tiny rock claims to mark where they first stepped on American soil.

Costumed actors stroll elegantly through Plimoth Plantation’s 17th century English village, waxing lyrical about how they came to this land – and suggesting I flirt with some soldiers down the hill.

I am more intrigued by the Wampanoag Homesite, giving voice to an often neglected side of America’s history.

Those who work here are not actors, but members of the Wampanoag and other native tribes committed to challenging stereotypes and reclaiming their culture and language.

Abenaki Dan Shears realised the importance of his culture when his grandmother, who taught him about the tribe, passed away. Now his daughter wants to learn the Abenaki language.

“Most people don’t think we exist out here. Unfortunately there is a lot of our culture that has gone and there’s no getting it back,” he tells me.

“We try to reclaim as much as we can.”

FAR FROM BOG STANDARD

Wampanoags harvested wild cranberries for 12,000 years, often drying them to make pemmican, mixing the berries with dried meat and animal fat for a snack that could last for months. They were also used to treat fever, swelling and sickness.

Now, they’re a tourist attraction.

Before arriving in Massachusetts, I expected to learn about pilgrims and ‘witches’. But bogs?

The state is one of the world’s biggest producers of cranberries, harvesting between mid-October and early November.

The colourful spectacle draws people from around the world. True devotees can don waders and join in at some bogs.

I track down a harvest at an AD Makepeace bog on (where else?) Cranberry Road, Carver.

Parking up, I’m distracted by a labradoodle, fixing me with curious hazel eyes. Forges belongs to Andy, a production manager at the bog.

Fortunately, he loves cranberries. “He’d roll about in those bogs all day if he could,” says Andy.

The fruit grows in low bogs, which are flooded to loosen the berries from the vines. Once they bob to the surface, helped along with water reels or ‘eggbeaters’, they are pumped on to a truck.

The swirl of garnet and the lemon chiffon of semi-ripe berries brings back childhood memories of raspberry ripple ice cream.

I’m with Forges on this one. Who wouldn’t want to dive in?

More on Travel in Massachusetts

• How to plan the perfect road trip from Boston through New England.
• The best things to do in Nantucket, New England’s “Far Away Place.”

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Glacial Lake Cranberries 715-887-4161

Welcome to glacial lake cranberries inc, connect with us.

The property now known as Glacial Lake Cranberries, Inc. has been producing cranberries since 1873.  The 6,000 acres of property is located in central Wisconsin, about 15 miles west of Wisconsin Rapids on the north shore of old Glacial Lake Wisconsin.  This lake disappeared thousands of years ago and left behind some of the finest wetlands in the state.  The high-water table, available sand, and acid soil conditions make the area conducive to cultivating North America’s native red fruit – Vaccinium macrocarpon - the cranberry .

We have thoroughly enjoyed, and are eternally grateful, for the many wonderful guests that have shared their time and interest in cranberries with us over the years.  Our lives have been enriched through our guests!  

Due to new chapters in the lives of those involved with Glacial Lake Cranberries, we are no longer offering cranberry harvest tours. 

Cranberry harvest tours are offered by Rooted in Red (Wisconsin Rapids, WI) and Lake Nokomis Cranberries (Eagle River, WI)

A glacier melted about 15,000 years ago and formed Glacial Lake Wisconsin, a lake about the size of Utah’s Great Salt Lake and as deep as 150 feet.  The last ice that held back the waters of Glacial Lake Wisconsin began to melt.  The failed ice dam unleashed a catastrophic flood, and the lake’s depth dropped to 50 feet.  The meltwaters cut deep, narrow gorges and unusual rock formations into the sandstone, forming beautiful passageways and towering cliffs that reach 100 feet high - now known as the Wisconsin Dells.  The flood most likely cut these aforementioned gorges in a matter of days or weeks, as the swift water eroded away the soft sandstone.

What was left of the old Glacial Lake bed were acidic conditions, a high water table, and lots of sand -- perfect for growing the native fruit found in these lands...the cranberry.

The Wisconsin State Land Book has an entry shows that John B. Arpin, a prominent lumberman, acquired the land on October 11, 1873.  Pioneers in the industry, like Arpin, built up dikes around native stands of vines that soon became the cultivated cranberry beds.  Over the years, all cranberry varieties currently in production, have been developed from native strains of vines.

Of the 6,000 total acres that make up Glacial Lake Cranberries, Inc., approximately 3,000 acres of water reservoir support 330 acres (92 beds) of producing cranberry vines, 2,200 acres are in a forestry management plan, and the balance of support land is diverse.

Basically, the same water reservoir system, as when the Arpins first tamed these wild lands, is still maintained and utilized today.  Additional reservoirs, ditches, dikes and roads have been added to meet the needs for increased efficiency in the cultivation and harvesting of cranberries. 

This is our home...Glacial Lake Cranberries...rich in history and steeped in family tradition.  

The Arpins retained ownership of the marsh until 1923 when it was sold to the newly organized Central Cranberry  Company.  By 1931 the entire property was owned by the Brazeau Family.  T.W. Brazeau and his sons, Bernard and Richard.  Bernard Brazeau took over the management of the marsh and continued to operate the property until April 1, 1960.  In the meantime, in 1939 Richard Brazeau developed a new marsh, R.S. Brazeau Cranberry Company, adjacent to Central  Cranberry. 

In 1960, a group headed by Richard Brazeau, bought Central Cranberry Company from Bernard Brazeau and formed a new company called Winnebago Cranberry Corporation.  At this time Richard also incorporated his marsh as R. S. Brazeau Cranberry Company.  Richard launched a master plan to rebuild the cranberry marsh to increase its efficiency and production which required major rebuilding of the beds to accommodate modern harvesting equipment.  In February 1968, Richard purchased an adjacent property, the Sahara Cranberry Marsh, for his wife, Virginia, which they in turn named Wilderness Cranberry Corporation.  This property, too, underwent major rebuilding.

Before Richard Brazeau's untimely death in July 1968, he had purchased all of the Winnebago Cranberry Corporation stock held by other shareholders.  Virginia Brazeau assumed the Presidency of all the marsh properties, and in 1972 consolidated them all into R.S. Brazeau, Inc.  At the time of Virginia's death in 1997, Mary Brazeau Brown purchased all outstanding shares and is currently sole owner and President of Glacial Lake Cranberries, Inc.. Mary's son Stephen, who graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with a Degree in Horticulture, is currently Vice President of Operations.

Wisconsin Foodie

We are honored to have been featured on Wisconsin Foodie - first aired February 14, 2019.

Tune in to learn more about our family, our farm, and why we're here.

Honestly Cranberry

Unsweetened dried cranberries - no added sugars, juices, oils or sulfur.

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Glacial Lake Cranberries

2480 County Road D, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495 USA

(715) 887-4161

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2023 Wetherby Cranberry Fall Hours

Hours through November 17th, 2023

• Monday through Friday: 9:00am – 4:30pm
• Saturday and Sunday: Closed

Annual Events

• Cranberry Blossom Day , always the last Saturday in June from 9am-11am
• Harvest Days – get details  

2023 Personalized VIP Cranberry Tours

Reservations required from the end of September –the end of October

Enjoy a private tour of a family owned and operated cranberry marsh for about an 1 or 1.5 hour tour with a third generation grower.

Wisconsin’s #1 fruit crop is the cranberry, producing over 60% of the world’s supply of cranberries.

This is definitely an educational experience that you will long remember.

You’ll appreciate the hard work ethic needed to grow this crop and come to realize the quality of life that exists on a cranberry marsh.

You will have the opportunity to walk down into a cranberry bed (without water in it) and see firsthand how cranberries are grown.

Since you are visiting a working farm, whatever work is being done the day of your visit you’ll see. We are certain it will be a highlight of your travels.

Reservation Information

• Reservations are required for this tour, call 608-378-4813 for further information.
• The vehicle used will only accommodate groups up to 5 people.
• The cost is a flat $100 fee. Even if traveling alone, you will have a grand time!
• Tours are limited, so please make your reservation soon.

Hope to see you soon for a “berry” good time!

2023 Wetherby Cranberry Harvest Days

Reservations are NOT taken, nor required for this weekend.

We have always accommodated all visitors this weekend.

We will be hosting this weekend, rain, shine, sun or snow, so please dress accordingly and bring your cameras?

In addition to the daily activities, we will have our on farm store open for the sale of our freshest cranberries, dried cranberries, cranberry wine, honey, cookbooks and more.

Please take time to also visit the Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center located just 4 miles from our farm in Warrens, a beautiful historical museum and gift shop with amazing cranberry ice cream.

The harvest tours offered only on Saturday will be presented by our family members who have grown up working on this 5th generation family farm.

Daily Details

Saturday September 30th

• 9:00am-12:00pm
• Live harvest will be shown
• Hip boot experience is available
• On farm store is open

Sunday October 1st

• 10:00am-2:00pm
• We will NOT be harvesting this day

Cash or Checks are appreciated forms of payment.

• $20.00 /adult for tour and hip boot experience (or $10 for each activity)
• $10.00 / kids 6-18 for tour and hip boot experience (or $5 for each activity)
• Free for 5 and under

Please contact us if special arrangements are required beyond normal hours and we will do our best to accommodate.

Map to Wetherby Cranberry Company

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Want to take a cranberry bog tour on Cape Cod? Here are some sweet options

We are rolling into the heart of cranberry harvest season on Cape Cod and are soon to be happily awash in sauce, relish and quick breads. But wouldn't it be great to get out to a bog to see where the miraculous red orbs come from?

Well, you're in the right place. "Massachusetts ranks second in the nation in cranberry production with more than 14,000 acres in production," according to the University of Massachusetts Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment . Folks on Cape Cod have been farming cranberries since the mid 1800s!

And cranberry bog tours are in full swing, both on and off Cape Cod. It's a great chance to learn more about the festive and tasty berry, just in time for Thanksgiving. Depending on the day of the tour, you may not see harvest action, but cranberry bogs are beautiful no matter what.

Here are some options for cranberry bog tours on and beyond Cape Cod:

Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours

Cape Cod Cranberry Bog Tours offers tours at bogs in Chatham, Barnstable and East Sandwich. Tours cost $20 per person, with a minimum of four people in the group. Smaller groups can be accommodated for a higher cost per person, and large groups can be accommodated by making advance arrangements. Contact them at least 24 hours in advance to make reservations and find out about tour availability at 508-237-5478 or by email at [email protected] . More information is available at their website: capecodcranberrybogtours.com .

Cranberry farm tours in Harwich

Cranberry bog tours are offered by Leo and Andrea Cakounes at their bog in Harwich. You can also see farm animals and visit their farmstand and gift shop. Bog tours cost $20 and credit cards are not accepted. Reservations are required and may be made by calling 508-432-0790. More information is available at their website: cranberrybogtours.com .

Green Briar Nature Center & Jam Kitchen

Green Briar Nature Center & Jam Kitchen in East Sandwich is offering tours of bogs in their area on Oct. 14. as part of their annual Cape Cod Cranberry Day celebration. Tours will be offered at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and space is likely to fill quickly. There is a $10 fee. Tickets can be purchased on their website, thorntonburgess.org . More info available at 508-888-6870.

Massachusetts Cranberries bog bus tours

Massachusetts Cranberries , represented by the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association , offers a cornucopia of tour options, including large group coach tours, school-age education tours and tours for the general public. These tours take place just off-Cape, in and around the Wareham/Carver area. The best way to sort through the offerings is to visit their website at cranberries.org/cranberry-bog-bus-tours . Email the organization at [email protected] for more information about schedules and tickets.

Eric Williams, when not solving Curious Cape Cod mysteries, writes about a variety of ways to enjoy the Cape, the weather, wildlife and other subjects. Contact him at  [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter: @capecast.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription.  Here are our subscription plans .    

Warrens, Wisconsin

Where Fun is Harvested Year Round!

Cranberry Marsh Tours

Wetherby Cranberry Company Marsh Tours 3365 Auger Road, Warrens, WI 54666; (608) 378-4813; [email protected] Wetherby Cranberry Company is a family owned and operated cranberry marsh 4.5 miles east of Warrens on county Highway EW. Growing cranberries for over 120 years, the Jim & Nodji Van Wychen family specializes in producing high quality fresh fruit.

The family hosts Cranberry Harvest Days annually the first weekend of October. Their 2024 Cranberry Harvest Days are Oct. 5-6. On Saturday you can see cranberries being harvested during tours led by third- and fourth-generation cranberry growers. You can also rent a pair of chest waders to wade out among floating cranberries. Hours are from 9 a.m. to noon.

Visitors may also rent chest waders on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to do the “Wetherby Wade” and view harvesting equipment on display. NOTE: No actual harvesting will be happening on Sunday. See their website for hours, fees and other information.

Marsh tours for small groups of up to five people are available Monday through Friday by appointment during harvest season. A flat fee of $100 is charged. Tours for motor coach are also available for a fee. Call Nodji Van Wychen at (608) 378-4813 to ask about cost and availability.

Self-Guided Driving Tour of Warrens Area Cranberry Marshes

Click here to download a PDF version of this map and driving directions with details about what you will see on your self-guided tour.

• Field Trips
• Resources & Printables
• Wetherby Cranberry Library
• Cranberry FAQ
• Desserts and Baking
• Main Dishes
• Soups and Salads
• Sauces Dips and Spreads
• Snacks and Appetizers
• Marsh Tours
• Cranberry Highway
• Become a Member
• Privacy Policy

Enjoy food, music and cocktails on the cranberry farm!

Like the guys in the commercials, wade through the floating cranberries in harvest waders.

Latest events

Come visit us on the cranberry farm.

Tie the Knot on the Marsh

Exchange vows surrounded by the vibrant hues of our cranberry beds, where the natural beauty of the landscape becomes the backdrop for your love story. The lush greenery and seasonal burst of red cranberries set a breathtaking scene, creating a tranquil atmosphere that will leave a lasting impression on you and your guests.

Join us on the Marsh

The family cookbook, cranberry pan seared chicken.

Got plans this weekend? We suggest trying our flavorful pan seared chicken.

Our Signature Cranberry Sauce

As seen on Magnolia Network's "Family Dinner" with Andrew Zimmern.

Honey BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich

A family staple in the Biegel family.

Cranberry Apple Crisp

From news articles to TV appearances, check out the cranberry farm and our family!

Five Generations of Farming

Dempze Cranberry Company

In 1900, Charles Dempze grew his first cranberry. Over 120 years later our family is still growing cranberries. ‍ For 4th and 5th generation, mother-daughter duo, Jamie and Rochelle the cranberry farm is not only their family's passion, but an opportunity for community connection. In 2020, they hosted the first guests on the cranberry farm in hopes folks would have an uplifting experience and connect with each other, the community, and the land. Today they host thousands of guests and media from around the world as they share their family farm history and today's modern cranberry cultivation practices and technologies in central Wisconsin.

If you have always wanted to visit cranberry farms near Seattle

• October 10, 2021
• Comments Off on If you have always wanted to visit cranberry farms near Seattle

My mom told me that a year or two ago she saw a cranberry bog being flooded near Vancouver BC while she and my dad were driving so they pulled over to the side of the road to watch. Cranberry farms are so fascinating because they have a unique harvesting processed called “wet harvesting” where the fields are flooded and the brilliant red berries float to the top. Just like sunflower fields, pumpkins patches and berry farms, more and more cranberry farms seem to be opening up in the Pacific Northwest so the public can take brilliant photos and see part of their journey from plant to plate and cranberries play such a huge part in fall and winter foods. None of the farms are especially close to Seattle but they are all within a few hours drive and are in places many of us Seattleites often visit.

A Cranberry Plunge at The Bog Riverside Cranberry Farm

Most recently we visited the Bog Riverside Cranberry Farm in Langley BC about two hours north of Seattle in Canada. This cranberry farm has self-guided walking tours around their fields in September/October and you can even do something called the Cranberry Plunge at this farm. My mom and all her grandchildren were able to do the cranberry plunge together. This farm is family run and they seem like the sweetest family ever. There are many cranberry themed pastries, hot drinks and treats in their shop and we even picked up some cranberry jelly for our Thanksgiving meal. The self-guided tour here took about 30 minutes-it was a fairly short flat loop around a bog with QR codes on stations around the bog that you could scan to find out more about what was happening in the bog at each station. The Cranberry Plunge is 5 minutes in a bog and for our group it took about another 20-30 minutes within our time window to get everyone in their hip waders and boots and then wait for their turn in the bog. This tour was not a drop-in tour, we had to pre-book and the Cranberry Plunge sold out about a week before our visit.

Seasonal Cranberry tours at Hopcott Farms in Pitt Meadows BC

Hopcott farm is the reason I found other farms that have cranberry tour experiences between Vancouver and Seattle Washington. We drove past Hopcott farms on a summer drive to Pitt Lake in British Columbia and this butcher/market/bistro seemed like a fun place to visit. When I looked on their website in the summer I noticed they had cranberry tours and I made a note to remember it again in the fall. These tours were offered a little later than the ones I spotted at the Riverside Bog, so this is another place you might check out if you are looking for places to see how cranberries grow. When I looked at the website this tour is a 30 minute guided tour with 30 minutes after the tour to take pictures and you also get a bag of cranberries included for your group.

In Pitt Meadows there is also a place where you can bike a route called the Cranberry Trail and see the fields as you ride. There is such amazing biking in BC and we have to remember to bring our bikes one day. Another option might be to borrow some from Cycle City Tours a great bike shop where we tried out electric bikes through Vancouver this summer too.

A Cranberry Museum in Long Beach Washington

And as I was looking for other farms in British Columba, I found that in Washington State we even have a Cranberry Museum . Next October I need to visit Long Beach, WA and go to their cranberry festival. At this museum, you can visit the cranberry bogs year round and see a different part of the growing process on every visit. And of course, as with everything on the internet, please check with the Cranberry Museum website before you make plans to visit because these things always change.

And maybe a cranberry farm you can visit in Oregon too?

This one I need to find out a little bit more about but I thought I’d drop it here just in case anyone else knows. Apparently you might be able to visit Bowman Bogs in Southern Oregon between October and December but you’ll have to call ahead. I’m hoping I hear more about this one if I just put it out here as well. Oregon, Washington, New Jersey, Wisconsin and Massachusets are all places where cranberries grow and I had no idea that they grow in all these places.

A cranberry drink at Red Arrow Coffee in Seattle

And sometimes you can’t always get to a farm when you want to and recently I tried a cranberry and white chocolate coffee drink at Red Arrow Coffee in Seattle that was a really nice alternative to pumpkin spice that was something new to me with cranberries too. Next time I visit I’ll try to remember the cool name this drink actually had. The best part of Red Arrow Coffee is that it in a pocket garden in Seattle and it’s great for coffee outdoors that still feels like it’s a bit inside.

I’ll keep updating this list as I find more cranberry farms you can visit near Seattle. Now that we’ve had to visit one, I just wanted to get my research up in case you were looking for these places too.

Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys.  She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live.  She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)

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