The cranberry season begins in Winter when growers flood the bogs with water that freezes and insulates the vines from frost. As the Winter snow melts and Spring arrives, the bogs are drained. Shortly thereafter blossoms begin to appear. In mid-July, petals fall from the flowers leaving tiny green nodes which, after weeks of summer sun, become red, ripe cranberries. Cranberries are typically harvested in September and October and can be stored for up to one year under proper conditions.

Cranberries are harvested using either of two methods. Wet harvested berries are generally processed, while dry harvested berries are most often sold as fresh fruit.

WET:
Most cranberries are harvested using the wet method. Growers flood their bogs with water then use harvesting machines that loosen the cranberries from the vine. With small air pockets in their center, the cranberries float to the water's surface. Growers corral the berries onto conveyers that lift them from the flooded bog onto trucks and into processing plants.

DRY:
A small percentage of cranberries are dry harvested. This process uses mechanical pickers, resembling lawn mowers with comb-like conveyer belts that pick the berries and carry them to attached burlap bags. These bags are emptied into bins and delivered to fresh fruit receiving stations where they are graded and screened based on their color and ability to bounce (soft berries will not bounce). Dry harvested berries are sold as fresh fruit.