Flax Pond Cranberry Co. is located on 58 Pond St. Owned and operated by Jack and Dorothy Angley, since 1967. The family farm spans across 34 acres of land and consists of a cranberry bog a 10 acre pond, woodland, and over 20 acres of reservoir.

The importance of water

In order for cranberries to grow, water is essential. Flax Pond Farm has a pond and reservoir on the property which dries up during the summer. As a wetland system, the Flax Pond Farm acts as one of the collecting areas for the Weweantic River Basin. With no source of running water, the owners utilized a bog to collect rainfall and surface runoff which provides sufficient water for sprinkler irrigation throughout the year.

Helping hands

Fifty years ago cranberries were harvested by over 25 workers using hand-held scoops and moved by wheelbarrows. When you visit with your car rentals Plymouth, you will see that a Furford does most of the harvesting and a helicopter picks up the crop to waiting trucks. Today, Flax Pond Farm employs one full time worker for the entire year. During harvest the number of workers grows to 12. Most of these part-time workers are locals with their children, grandchildren, neighbours and teenager children working together.

Surviving the winter

During the winter times, the cranberry vines must survive the harsh conditions. When the bogs are frozen solid enough to support sanding machines, about an inch of sand is poured on to the ice to slowly melt the ice. The sand than settles on the vines of the cranberry and stimulates new vine growth. The sand also works as natural pesticide by killing the wintering insect pests within the vicinity of the vines. During late spring and fall, water is also used as a pest management tool. By allowing shallow floods to occur for brief periods, the insect population is able to be controlled to a minimum.

Bog tours

Tours begin in May, Monday through Friday from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Beginning September Flax Pond Farm is open from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. The farm is closed on Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. Tours begin with a talk about cranberries by the owners of the farms including the farming process, farming equipment, antique harvesting implements and artifacts. Any questions visitors have can be answered at that time.

In celebration of the arts

Flax Pond Farms holds an annual Arts Festival that draws visitors from all over. The festival usually takes place early October from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. You will find a variety of original handcrafted items, fine arts, and photography. This is a great time to pick up a unique souvenir while supporting local artists when you travel with your car rentals Plymouth. Also enjoy a dry harvest bog tour and the entertainment throughout the days. There are also activities and arts and crafts for children. Bring your own lunch and enjoy it on the picnic tables on site or grab something from the food vendors.

Bringing a piece of the trip home

Don`t forget to drop by the Cranberry Gift Shop when you travel with your car rentals Plymouth. In the gift shop you will find a variety of cranberry condiments, cranberry-land honey, hand-painted cranberry vine candles, cranberry popcorn, cranberry taffy, trail mix, chocolate candies and more! You will also get a chance to taste Flax Pond Farms home-grown cranberry juice samples and recipes.

Before you go...

For more information about the Flax Pond Farms when you travel with your car rentals Plymouth, check out their official website at < a href="http://www.flaxpondfarms.com/">www.flaxpondfarms.com.