Cranberries are pollinated by bees and they are very important to a good crop. The difference between a good and fair crop can be in the amount several hundred thousand dollars. Nothing to trifle with.
This is a photo of the little flowers, each one if pollinated produces a cranberry.
These are the buds and flowers that are so very critical. If we were to get a frost it would kill them and the crop would be very small.
All the cranberry fields are protected by a computer system which monitors the temperatures and will start up and stop the irrigation system as required. The water is warmer than the air thus raising the temperature.
Frost protection running.
In this photo we have a view of field #3 located right outside our door where we are camped.
You can see the light pink through out the field where the buds are coming into bloom.
Now we bring in the honey bees.
We have a bee contractor who supplies us with over two hundred hives. They are distributed through out the cranberry fields and do the majority of the pollination required for a good crop.
Here is another location with hives.
The hives are in place for approximately 3 weeks.
The cost is over $35,000.
And.... we do not get to keep the honey!
Here they are hard at work for another season.
We would not have cranberries if it were not for our bees.
What will happen if our bees disappear like they slowly are.
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