The New Jersey Pinelands are rich in Cranberry History
The Lenni-Lenape Indians were the first known harvesters of Cranberries in New Jersey. The Lenni-Lenape word for Cranberry was "Pakim", which meant "Noisy Berry".
Native Americans used cranberries to make Pemmican; to draw poison from arrow wounds; to die rugs, blankets, and clothing; as a symbol of peace; and for commerce with early European Settlers.
The name "Cranberry" derives from the Pilgrim name for the fruit, "Craneberry" so called because the small, pink blossoms that appear in the spring resemble the head and bill of a Sand Hill Crane.
Cranberry cultivation began in NJ in 1835. Many of the families producing cranberries today are descended from the original growers from the 1800's, often on multigenerational farms.
Cranberries were often kept on whaling ships in the 1800's as a source of Vitamin C for Sailors to ward off scurvy.
About a million pounds of dehydrated cranberries a year were shipped overseas to American Soldiers during World War II.
The First Association of Cranberry Growers in the U.S. was founded in NJ in 1871. The american cranberry Growers Association continues to Serve the State's Cranberry Industry to this day.
