Winter Ice Sanding on the Cranberry Bogs

 ice sanding  a cranberry bog

Growing cranberries is a year round job. In the winter when the bogs are flooded over with water and the weather is cold enough to make several inches of ice the bogs need to be sanded every few years. When the ice melts the sand settles down covering the roots of the cranberry plants.

 ice on the bog. 

 we always ice skated on the  ice covered bogs that weren't sanded in the winter when I was growing up. So many hours of fun.

Below are a couple of links that will explain more about cranberry bog culture.

why cranberry bogs need ice sanding    

cranberry bog culture

Photos from around the bog in winter time.

sanding rigs that go on the cranberry bog and spread sand. Sand acts as a fertilizer for the vines and keeps the roots to the plants covered. Vines can last 100 years and more if taken care of.

 dumping a load of screened sand

                                                                 loading sand into the rear of a rig with a front end loader

                                   back of the rig

  

                                                     a ramp is used for the sanding rig to get on and off the cranberry bog

       

 sanding rig on the frozen ice spreading a layer of sand on the bog. This is a cold job.

                                       

                                                                                                                                    bog that has been sanded

                                               

                             water has been drained off of the bog after the bog was sanded and the ice in the ditch has collapsed

                                                                                bog ditches after water is pumped off the bog

water is let off the bogs as the vines need oxygen. The ice protects the vines from freezing temps and wind 

                                       another type of spreader for ice sanding

                            this machine is HUGE. The tires are 40 inches wide and are 16 ply. I am 5'5 and the tires come up to mid forehead on me. This machine can ice sand with less ice on the bog and doesn't break through the ice as often as the smaller rigs..hard to believe but true. 

while driving my Dad around the bog so he could see the ice sanding I took a few pics.

deer track in the frozen snow

from the bog in Middleboro looking across the meadow..you can see my grandfather's house (the white spot in the middle of the photo) that is on Meadow St, So. Carver

In my picture trail album are more cranberry bog photos

Elaine