B.C.’s cranberry fields leading to stunning photos, traffic slowdowns

Cranberry season is in full swing on many B.C. farms, and many are stopping to take a look, leading to some traffic tie ups.

On Monday afternoon, traffic in Richmond along Highway 91 was slowed by drivers near a cranberry field during a sunny rush hour. The delays were blamed on the red colour, which could be seen from the road and by air, creating a visual distraction.

In addition to Richmond, areas like Langley, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, and Delta also boast gorgeous colours this time of year as farmers harvest their crop.

The stunning seasonal sight also proves very popular for foot traffic near the farms, or for cyclists.

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The BC Cranberry Marketing Commission GM Coreen Rodger Berrisford says they have heard of busy traffic areas as a result.

She says that can be dangerous, and asks anyone hoping to take pictures to do so safely, and ideally through an organized tour.

“Please do not go to other farms because they are not set up for that and we want to make sure that everyone’s safety is respected and that they also understand that this is a super busy time for producers who are trying to get their crop off the field and into market,” Rodger Berrisford said.

Colleen MacDonald, the author of biking blog letsgobiking.net, says the interest in cranberries has boomed thanks to social media.

However, she says she has heard some have trespassed in their efforts, and encourages everyone to stay to the path and respect farmers.

Letsgobiking cranberry

(Courtesy: Colleen MacDonald)

There are maps on her website of the public bike routes in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows which take cyclists past dozens of fields without causing a disturbance.

But now is the time to go, and not wait until November.

“The cranberries are almost done being harvested. They were early this year because of the heat,” MacDonald said.

Rodger Berrisford says the season will likely be done in the next few weeks, and despite the heat, B.C. cranberries actually fared very well considering other berries suffered in the summer heatwaves.

“We did have some of the fruits a little bit smaller but nothing terribly noteworthy. We are actually fortunate in that respect,” she said.

“If you are lucky they will be harvesting one of the fields as you go cycling past. You can stop and take some pictures, maybe see the workers out there with the cranberry beaters, what they do to get the cranberries to rise to the surface of the water. You might see a field flooded and cranberries all over on the top of the water. If you are lucky you could see the crew pulling the cranberries out…it’s a really fun process to watch,” she said.

One Richmond farm allows people to get even closer and wade into the soaked fields to be photographed among the floating cranberries for a small fee.

Last week, B.C. Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham was among those who jumped in to help at The Bog at Riverside Cranberry Farm.

In a social media post, the farm called Popham “a natural at cranberry booming.”

According to the BC Cranberry Marketing Commission, cranberries are native to B.C. The wild cranberries were harvested by Indigenous peoples and were traded with settlers through the Hudson Bay Company in the 1800s.

They typically grow in the Lower Fraser Valley and on Vancouver Island and are usually harvested between September and November.

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