Cranberries

    I love cranberries. Not jellied from a can, or plucked from the grocery store shelves. I love home grown cranberries just like my grandfather did. He would be thrilled if he could see that I have planted a total of five cranberry bushes so far. I started out with two and lost one, but here I am trying again. I had a few berries make an appearance last fall and this got me excited to add some more bushes, and that is what I did this season.
    I love it when the U.P.S. truck speeds up the driveway in early spring. I know that these packages contain living plants that I get to nurture into a food source. While cold winds blow and snow drifts against my door, I carefully plan out where each new plant will be placed as I sip my hot chocolate by the fireplace. This keeps cabin fever at bay and is a pathway to keeping summertime dreams alive. So, as planting season struggles to arrive, I am prepared, and overwhelmed with anticipation......

First, I dig my holes to accommodate the roots.

I then amend my soil to the needed growing conditions for my cranberry bushes.

I add peat moss, sand, blood meal, bone meal, epsom salt, and rock phosphate. 

I then make sure to loosen up the roots as they are pot bound, and sink them into my mixture.I water them generously. To protect them from a crazy lawn mower wielding son, (or husband), or from a

stampeding cow, or any other farm related accident, I surround my new additions with old car tires. I will remove these as they grow larger.

   As I sit back and admire my new cranberry bushes, I can't help but think of the steaming tart berries with some crushed pecans on top. I lick my lips as I dream about our farm raised turkey with all the fixin's. It brings to mind my grandmother's stuffing recipe, and family and friends gathered together at the farmhouse table for thanksgiving. Our celebration would simply not be complete without the taste of these deep red beauties.