KILLINGWORTH, Conn. — It's fall and of course, apple picking is a fall staple, but what about fall cranberry picking? A small group in Killingworth is making sure the community has fresh local cranberries this season during their once-a-year fall harvest.
For cranberry farmers, it's harvest season, and time is money.
Cranberries need to be picked this week so they can eventually head to our local stores.
The team behind the magic in Killingworth all had one thing in common, they're not letting retirement “bog” them down. From farm to table, or in this case, from bog to table.
"There’s 100% coverage of the cranberries on this 2.5-acre field so it’s just a mass of cranberries," said Keith Bishop, owner of Killingworth Cranberries.
Bishop is busy making sure thousands of pounds of cranberries make it from his cranberry bog to store shelves.
"Those fingers pick those berries off the vine, bring them up a conveyor belt and we put them into the sacks," said Bishop. "The sorting machine on-site takes and separates out extra vines so they go into cold storage."
Bishop dry harvests his cranberries, a method used in the fresh market.
The process needs to be completed quickly around this time every year, a hefty task for his small, volunteer-based team.
"He said 'I’m harvesting I need some help, you want to work for the day' and I said sure," said Gary MacElhiney.
MacElhiney is enjoying his retirement. He likes trying new things, like figuring out how to use a cranberry processor.
"It gives me something to do for a couple of days, it’s helpful and it’s fun," said MacElhiney.
Everyone working in the bog is retired, taking turns between who has to push the picking machine and who gets to use the processor.
4,000 pounds of cranberries will be ready to be packaged every day this week until more volunteers are called back in to help the next harvesting season.
"I’m appreciative of those people that want to get their exercise in their mid-60s that want to come out and help out," said Bishop.
For a list of stores that sell the Killingworth Cranberries, click here.
Lindsey Kane is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at Lkane@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
---
Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
----
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.