Cranberry Harvest 2021

 Wisconsin Cranberries

Hello Friends,

My sister and her husband work and enjoy living on a Wisconsin cranberry marsh. This season our son Sam helped with harvest. I am sharing a few photos from harvest and a video. I encourage you to watch and share the video, it is always a good thing to learn how our food is grown and harvested.

Enjoy!

 

Copper River Cranberry Co. Merrill, WI  ~  A member of the Ocean Spray Cranberry Cooperative... Yes, Ocean Spray is a Farmer-Owned Co-Op, not one of the big beverage corporations. So when you're picking out that fruity beverage, help out a local farmer by buying Ocean Spray Brand! Copper River Cranberry Co. is a family-owned farm near Merrill, WI doing their best to provide you with the highest quality cranberry juice available. Thanks for watching!

 

 

Our son Sam, in a sea of Wisconsin cranberries.

~ TJ's ~ and more!

 I know many of you shop at Trader Joe's.

For me it is a special treat when I get to stop into TJ's. 

We do not have a TJ's close by, so it is a drive to visit TJ's but always worth it.

My blog friend Heather at Our Life In A Click does some fantastic reviews on TJ's products. It helps me out, because I know some of the items I am looking for.

Thank You, Heather!

 Before Christmas we stopped at TJ's. 

We also got to stop in after taking Sam to the MSP airport in early January.

We loved the Winter Wassail.

I use the Mascarpone for some very special cupcakes I make.

Highlander Grogg Filled Cupcake Recipe

 Yum!  Honey Graham Crackers! Thumbs Up!

 

 Atticus loves this water.

  

Some more favorites from TJ's.

What are some of your favorites?

Wisconsin Shout Out

 Carmex is a Wisconsin company. They created a new lip butter using Wisconsin Cranberries!

Let me know if you find it at your local market.

We do not have it in our neck of Wisconsin. My cousin Kris lives in the Southern part of Wisconsin. She was the first of our family to find SuperCran Carmex.

 

 My sister and brother in law own and operate a Wisconsin Cranberry Farm.

Click below to read about harvest.

On the Road Friday ~ Cranberry Harvest 

Some Good News

Some Good News

Thank you all for the support during the clean up from the lighting strike. Just when we got most of our devices and cables replaced, we received another scare when the power pole went crashing down. You kind of feel like "what next?" 

Not just in my own eventful days of late, but in the world as well. 

You never know what you will hear about next on the news.  To be honest, it gets hard to listen to another awful event. Hurricanes, fires, war and shootings. 

Our family had many a discussion this week. 

Courage, dear heart ... that was the main focus ... have courage. 

Monday left me feeling strange and reminding me, enjoy each day you have. 

Taking  the quote from my dad "Have the Best Day Ever" ... we reminded our boys we have to continue on. We honestly do not know what will happen. We have to be brave, love and press on, shine on with light.

Sharing GOOD news and happy times .... take a look at this ....

 My dad, who suffered a heart attack April 11th.

He has pressed on this 2017 with many changes. His heart attack and the decision to leave dairy farming. With his positive attitude and deciding to "Have the Best Day Ever" he keeps going.

Here he is helping with cranberry harvest at my sister's cranberry farm, Copper River Cranberries.

Having a sister who has a cranberry farm makes me lucky to get as many cranberries as I want. We do love cranberries. I am sharing our very favorite Cranberry Cake recipe.  This cake makes a perfect breakfast cake or a dessert.

Cranberry Cake

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups flour

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs with sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5 minutes. Add butter and extract, beat 2 minutes. Stir in flour. Stir in cranberries.

Spread into a greased 13in. x 9in. x 2in. baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

Enjoy

My son Atticus loves this cake! It is his very favorite.

Cranberry Cake

Cranberry Cake

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups flour

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs with sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5 minutes. Add butter and extract, beat 2 minutes. Stir in flour. Stir in cranberries.

Spread into a greased 13in. x 9in. x 2in. baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

Enjoy

My son Atticus loves this cake! It is his very favorite.

My boys picked up this ice chunk out of a puddle in Spring of 2014.

  

 I fell on the ice this morning in our driveway. I banged up my elbow and side. I am okay, just sore. Be careful when going out and about.

Cape Cod Cranberry Pie

Cape Cod Cranberry Pie

Cape Cod Cranberry Pie is an easy pie to make and it is so yummy. 

Cape Cod Cranberry Pie

  2 cups Cranberries

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

4 Tablespoons oil

2 Eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

Spray 9" deep dish pie plate 

Add cranberries, sprinkle with 1/2 cup of sugar and walnuts. 

Mix ingredients and pour over cranberries.

Bake 325 degrees for 45 minutes

Enjoy!

On The Road Friday ~ Cranberry Harvest in Wisconsin

 Cranberry Harvest in Wisconsin

Our trip today will take us to Copper River Cranberry Marsh, Merrill, Wisconsin.

Wisconsin is the number one producer of cranberries in the United States.

Contrary to popular belief, cranberries do not grow under water or in standing water. Water is used to harvest cranberries. The beds are flooded to harvest the berries. The berries are gently removed from the vine.

 A beautiful day for harvest.

Click the link below for  more detail on how cranberries are harvested. We captured the start and finish of harvesting a bed of cranberries in 2013.

Cranberry Harvest 2013

 

 Each year I get a bunch of cranberries.  In years past I have made a cranberry sauce, froze cranberries and juiced my berries.

This year I wanted to try drying cranberries. 

I was so happy with how they turned out.

Here is the recipe if you would like to give it a try.

Drying Cranberries

Wash and remove stems. Dip into boiling water until skins crack.

Lay on to your dehydrator tray.

Dry at 130 to 140 degrees.

Dry 10 to 18 hours or to how you like the berry.

 

 

I was a bit concerned, my boys would not like the dried cranberries. They do not have a sweetener. I did not need to worry, they liked them. 

Add them to your baked breads and muffins. Toss them on top of your oatmeal, yogurt, and ice cream. 

Thank you for joining me today as we visited a Wisconsin Cranberry Marsh!

Here are a few fun facts you can share with others.

Cranberries are native to North America. The 5 major states cranberries are grown in are:

Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington.

The cranberry was officially named Wisconsin's state fruit on April 5, 2004.

The first cranberry marshes in the state date back to the 1830's, even before Wisconsin was a state.

Cranberries score among the highest of all fruits in antioxidants. Diets including fruits and vegetables with high antioxidant values, like cranberries, may help support memory function and coordination.

10 Minute Cranberries

10 Minute Cranberries

2 cups water

1 1/2 sugar

4 cups cranberries

Boil sugar and water for 5 minutes.

Add cranberries, boil for 5 minuets.

Let cool or eat warm. My son Sam loves to eat his cranberry sauce warm.

Enjoy! 

 This is an easy recipe to help you add cranberries to your meal.

Cranberries are a superfood!

One cup of cranberry juice can deliver up to 100 percent of the recommended daily dose of vitamin C - just look for the label that says "100 percent juice"

Bacteria don't stand a chance against these guys:

Several studies show that cranberries and cranberry juice can help ward off urinary tract infections.

Juiced

Take advantage of cranberries high acid content and use fresh juice from the berries in place of vinegar in salad dressings and marinades.

Dried

Toss 1 to 2 Tbsp. into oatmeal, spinach salad, or other salad.

Cooked

Cranberry relish really perks up  sandwiches. The berries also add a bright accent to baked goods,wild rice, and meat dishes.

 

Cranberry Sauce Whole Berry

Hello,

Today, I am going to share an easy recipe to make your own cranberry sauce.

We love cranberry sauce and usually make it fresh (that recipe will be coming this week too) but sometimes you do not have time to make it. Never fear, in case you are in a pinch, you can peek in your pantry and find your very own homemade cranberry sauce.

This would also make a great gift for Christmas.

Cranberry Sauce Whole Berry  

8 cups cranberries
4 cups sugar
4 cups water

Wash cranberries; drain. Combine sugar and water in a large saucepot.  Boil 5 minutes. Add cranberries. Continue boiling, without stirring, until skins burst. Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust two piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling - water canner.
Yield: about 6 pints

Enjoy!

Cranberry-Basil Spritzer

Cranberry - Basil Spritzer

 In a medium saucepan over medium - high eat, bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add 1/2 cup basil leaves, remove from heat, let steep for 20 minutes. Strain syrup and let cool for at least 1 hour. In a large pitcher, combine syrup, 2 cups unsweetened cranberry juice, and 1/4 cup fresh lime juice. Fill pitcher with 1 liter chilled club soda, then add 4 lime slices, 1 cup fresh cranberries, and 1/2 cup basil leaves. To serve, pour spritzers over ice, top with a splash more club soda, and garnish with basil.

 Yummy! 

After trying this spritzer, I plan to serve this as our Thanksgiving drink.

 Enjoy!

On the Road Friday - Wisconsin Cranberries

Today we are taking a trip to watch a Cranberry Harvest.

Last weekend we had the opportunity to watch how cranberries are harvested. Amazing! We appreciate being able to show our boys the hard work that goes into having  our food on the shelf of a grocery store. Great folks working hard. And the outcome...good stuff for all of us.

So off we go!

 Some of you may not know that cranberries do not grow in water. And you are asking "Then why do we see them in water?"

 Check out my earlier posts that give you all the fun facts about Wisconsin Cranberries. You will find a wonderful recipe too.

Wisconsin Cranberries part 1

Wisconsin Cranberries part 2

Wisconsin Cranberries part 3

 Now you know all about cranberries. :-) 

I find it so cool that they float.

 Harvesting cranberries on a cool and misty day. We visited Copper River Cranberry Company, located in Merrill, Wisconsin.

 Cranberries being harvested and dumped into the truck. The truck will head to the Ocean Spray plant. The truck will be weighed. I wonder how many pounds of cranberries we see?

 Preparing the next cranberry bed for harvest.

 Beautiful Cranberries.

Did you know, I can eat them fresh. I just pop them into my mouth. Actually, everyone in our family can. Yummy.

 Pushing the berries into the harvesting ring.

 This bed is all ready to be harvested. The truck will come and they will begin to suck the berries up. A sepearator will place the berries in the semi trailer and the leaves, stems and other junk into the dump truck. 

We enjoyed learning more about how and where our food comes from. How about you? Have you ever visited a farm or watched a crop be harvested?

I would like to visit all the farms and meet the folks who farm. My top three crops that I would like to see are pineapple, cotton and coffee.

Hope you enjoyed today. And the next time you are in the grocery store, you can say "Yay, I know just how cranberries are grown and harvested."

Thank You Farmers!!

Have a great weekend.

Cranberry Smoothie

Cranberry Smoothie

2 cups Cranberry Juice 

1 cup strawberry yogurt

2 1/2 cups frozen whole strawberries

 

Put all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

 

Enjoy!   

We love this smoothie! It has become my husbands favorite.

Cranberries and Friends

We recently took some friends on a tour of Copper River Cranberry Marsh located in Merrill, Wisconsin. My sister and her husband are part owners. It is an amazing way of farming. I explained Wisconsin Cranberries last year, if you need a refresher on cranberries peek at the following posts

Wisconsin Cranberries part 1 

Wisconsin Cranberries part 2 

Wisconsin Cranberries part 3 

On with our tour

Cranberries waiting to be harvested.

Our friend receiving a lesson about cranberries from my brother - in - law, Josh.

Did you know cranberries float?

I think cranberries are so beautiful!

A swan out on the marsh! Beautiful! My sister shared with us that his or her mate went missing about a month ago.

 

 We had a beautiful fall day for our tour.

Come back tomorrow for a new recipe using cranberries.

Healthy Cranberry Muffins

Healthy Cranberry Muffins

 Recipe from: A dear friend of mine...I made the muffins the same day she shared the recipe with me, for an after school snack. The boys loved them!   

   Enjoy!

 

Nonstick cooking spray

3/4 cup white flour

1/4 cup wheat germ

1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed (optional)

1/2 cup whole wheat four

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 egg whites

1/3 cup applesauce

3 Tablespoons buttermilk

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (chopped)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat over to 350 degrees

Lightly coat a bead loaf pan or a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray. 

In medium size bowl, combine flours, wheat germ, flaxseed (if using), sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.

In a larger bowl, beat the egg whites at high speed for 1 minute. Beat in applesauce and buttermilk. Gradually add flour mixture and beat until just combined.

Stir in cranberries and walnuts

Transfer to prepared loaf pan - bake for 20 minutes

Insert toothpick in center of muffin or loaf and when it comes out clean, you can enjoy!