At the heart of cranberry country lies Wetherby Cranberry Company in Warrens, Wis. Wetherby’s is a family-owned and operated cranberry marsh owned by Nodji and Jim Van Wychen and their family. Wetherby’s is a fifth-generation farm, cranberries have been in their blood since 1903.
Wetherby Cranberry Company is well known for the high quality of its fresh cranberries. They are one of Wisconsin’s 250 cranberry growers. Wetherby’s grows, harvests, sorts, and packages all of their own fresh fruit. From their cranberries, they sell dried cranberries, fresh cranberries, and homemade cranberry wine. Wetherby’s products are available online, at farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and on their farm.
How are natural resources utilized on a marsh?
For cranberry farmers, sustainability starts with managing their natural resources. At Wetherby Cranberry, they utilize the local water supply, sand, and wetlands. While cranberries do not grow in water, they are a critical tool for cranberry farming.
In cranberry farming, farmers use a water supply such as a pond, reservoir, or river to irrigate the plants. They rely on water four times throughout the year. During the summer, they use it regularly to keep the cranberry plants hydrated. At Wetherby Cranberry, farmers use an irrigation system to do this. In the late spring and early fall, farmers use water on the plants to protect them from frost and cold temperatures. During the fall harvest, farmers flood the cranberry beds with water to detach the fruit from the vines. Finally, in winter, they flood the beds again to cover the vines and freeze them.The process freezes the vines and protects them for next year’s crop.
Local wetlands also play a huge role in cranberry farming and sustainability. Wetherby Cranberry Company uses the East Fork of the Lemonweir River as its source of water. The water they utilize will filter through their wetlands, returning to nature in a purer state. That’s why cranberry farmers take great care of their land—they recognize that adopting sustainable practices enhances their local watershed.
How are cranberries harvested?
The cranberry harvest typically occurs during the first three weeks of October. At this point in their lifecycle, cranberries have turned from green to bright red. Once the cranberries are ready, workers flood the beds in the marshes with water. The berries slip off the vines and float to the surface. The cranberries float to the top because of the four air pockets inside the berry. After collecting the berries, workers pump them out of the bed.
During this process, workers remove water and other natural debris from the bed along with the berries. In the pump, each item is separated and loaded into trucks. Excess waste will be turned into compost. The cranberries are loaded into a semi-truck to be taken to a receiving station for processing. A semi-trailer can hold up to 40,000 pounds of cranberries.
Wetherby’s sells one-third of their cranberries as fresh fruit under the Wetherby Cranberry Company label. They sell the other two-thirds of their crop to make our favorite cranberry products.
Can I visit a cranberry marsh?
As the cranberry capital of the world, Warrens is the place to be when it comes to cranberries. Wisconsin is the top producer of cranberries in the country and grows over 60% of the world’s cranberries!
Local cranberry growers encourage people interested in cranberry harvesting to attend the Warrens Cranberry Festival during the last weekend in September. This festival serves as a celebration and kickoff to the harvest season. The weekend features a farmers’ market, craft fair, marsh tours, and lots of cranberry products!
As one of the founders of the cranberry festival, Nodji Van Wychen said the festival is, “A good boost to the local economy.”
During harvest season, Wetherby Cranberries hosts a public harvest day. For the past 30 years, the day has served as an up-close look at the life of a cranberry farmer. The Van Wychen’s rent school buses and transport visitors to their marsh to get a taste of the day in the life of a cranberry farmer. During this time, participants can take a tour of the marsh, watch the harvest, and even wade in one of the cranberry beds.
Nodji takes great pride in the education and promotion of cranberry farmers. For her, it is one of her favorite times of the year.
“It’s really a good feeling because they are so interested and ask so many questions,” Nodji said. “At Christmas time, it’s amazing – [visitors] will send me their Christmas card with them in the beds with their waders on.”
For Nodji and Wetherby Cranberry Company, promoting and advocating for the cranberry industry is their mission and passion.
Nodji said, “For our family, growing cranberries is more than a job; it’s our way of life!”
Nodji Van Wychen and Wetherby Cranberry Company are featured as a part of Gather Wisconsin’s Leaders of the Land® segment, which features Wisconsin farmers moving agriculture forward through their commitment to sustainability.