Text Your BFF Who Lives For Autumnal Adventures Because It's Cranberry Bogging Season

If the closest you’ve come to a cranberry bog is ordering a Cape Codder (a cranberry juice and vodka cocktail, sometimes garnished with a slice of lime) at the bar or eye balling an Ocean Spray ad (OS is in fact credited with creating what is now called the Cape Codder around 1945, initially christening the drink the “Red Devil.”), it’s time to reassess.

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Cranberry bogs are where it’s at right now in terms of the most coveted images across all your favorite social media apps.

I say this because recently, lots of my IG Friends (Speaking of which, in case you haven’t heard, Jen Aniston of the 90’s tv juggernaut Friends also joined Instagram recently and caused quite the ruckus.) have been updating from cranberry farms in nearby Southeastern Massachusetts.

Side Bar ~ Believe it or not, our neighbors in Mass. are actually 2nd in terms of overall production of these berries, coming in behind Wisconsin, which is responsible for more than 62% of this crop.

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Now, no one really looks all that fabulous in a pair of waders, but somehow the photos still make me want to take a mini road trip to the Plymouth or Cape Cod proper during what is now the tail-end of peak (for flavor and color) harvest season.

While many of the festivals and special events (cocktails or dinner at one of these farms….sounds intriguing, right?) already took place during the first part of October, there are still some pretty solid options in terms of dipping your toe in the whole cranberry bogging experience, including a Cranberry Harvest 5K run or walk on November 2nd in Wareham (details here if you’re so inclined) and a cranberry cooking contest on November 16th, also in Wareham, at A.D. Makepeace.

Side Bar ~ A.D. Makepeace has the distinction of being the largest grower - and owner - of Ocean Spray Cranberries. It can also trace its involvement in the cranberry growing biz back to the 1800’s.

People rave about the guided tours there (and the shop on the premises where you can buy everything from sandwiches made on cranberry bread to soap made from the stuff) which sadly are sold out completely for this season. They do recommend, though, trying your luck with ones helmed by the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association.