Saturday, 11 October 2014
Chefs, don’t get excited; there is no recipe for cranberry curry here.
We planned on going to the Cranberry Research station to see the harvest demonstration that was part of the Cranberrian Fair. The yearly event takes place at Ilwaco’s Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum and the Cranberry Museum/research station.
Looking out our front door, the weather did not look promising.

Some kids sailed down the street on their bicycles, yelling and getting drenched, not at all dressed for the sudden downpour.


I was thrilled the rain had arrived, and at the same time hoped that a blue spot in the sky was not just a sucker hole, as I did want to take photos of the harvest. We set off, and as we drove up to Pioneer Road, the storm went away.
Cranberry Research Station

Halfway between ocean and Willapa Bay on Pioneer Road are the geometrical shapes of the cranberry station bogs.

Pacific Coast Cranberry Research Station, an extension of Washington State University
The Long Beach Trolley, known during Cranberrian Fair as the Bog Bus, is in the repair shop, so instead of riding the darling trolley between the two museums, attendees drove their vehicles. In the grass parking area next to the pond (see top left-ish, above), some hopeful lines had been painted on the lawn.

I say hopeful rather than helpful as the two rows were a bit close together!

Here’s the pond; the pipe is pumping water out to flood the bogs.

Water from the pond had filled up one of the bogs.


Allan’s photo: This amphibious vehicle flails the berries off the stems.
But before we walked over to see the harvest, we walked back to the museum to join Kathleen Shaw for lunch.

Allan’s photo; Kathleen on left

Lunch was provided by one of our two favourite local restaurants, the Cove; owners Sondra and Jim greeted us at the lunch counter.

Kathleen’s pulled pork sandwich with cranberry BBQ sauce

cranberry wine tasting (and in the foreground, free Ocean Spray bottled cranberry juice drinks


I tried the one mixed with Gewurtzraminer; delicious.

music by Bryan O’Connor
We took a tour through the Cranberry Museum so that we can enlighten our out of town readers about how the harvest was and is accomplished. This is especially for Cathy from Oz.












There was a sign asking viewers to not touch or try on the museum items!



I believe that the “dibble” garden tool dates back to old England and has nothing to do with Art Dibble!

a hand pushed cranberry beater









It is a striking sight in winter to see the irrigators spraying to protect the bogs from frost.

We battle these same weeds in our local gardens, especially the Bad Aster.

Some people use post-harvest cranberry mulch on their gardens. I won’t because it’s not organic…unless it came from Starvation Alley organic cranberry farm!
I considered buying some of the delightful offerings from the Cranberry Museum shop. However, it was so crowded that I decided to revisit another day as we often drive by there. It will have to be soonish as I believe it closes for the season sometime in November.

a busy scene in the gift shop

looking east from the porch of the Cranberry Museum
Now let’s go see the wet method of harvesting close up.

dike paths through the bogs

the cranberry vines (and a weed)

One of the bogs was slowly being filled for tomorrow’s harvest demonstration.



flooding for tomorrow’s harvest; note the tarp to direct the water into the bog

It had turned into a perfect day.

looking west toward the museum (and Allan taking a photo)

Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo

In the flooded bog, the flailer in action

setting up a cranberry corral

Allan’s photo

The corral starts out very large…

..and slowly gets pulled to gather up all the berries.

It’s hard work but must be fun splish splashing through the water.



As we got closer to the harvesting machinery, we saw someone who may have been enjoying the day most of all.

six months old


Allan’s photo

She was utterly fascinated with the humans splashing in the bog.

Of course, I had to meet her.

another dog enjoying the day; Allan’s photo

Allan’s photo


herding cranberries


The cranberries are all being herded to one end of the bog.



at the base of the harvesting machine

The corral has gotten much smaller.



The berries go up the conveyer belt.

Allan’s photo

The cranberries drop into the bed of a truck.

Allan’s photo
While I was watching the harvest, who should come up to me but David of David and Allison, Heather’s friends (and now ours, too, I hope) with whom we had dined at [pickled fish] restaurant the previous evening. When he told me Allison was hanging out on the museum porch, I walked back to find her, and later we all sat and enjoyed a confab.

me and the delightful David & Allison
When I first started gardening for a living in 1994, the Cranberry Research Station was one of our first jobs. (I found we could make more being self employed, so did not work there for long.) I had a look at a pollinator test garden that I used to weed.

The plants are much, much bigger now.
Peninsula Art Show
On the way home, Allan and I had a look in at the Peninsula Art Association show at the Long Beach Train Depot.

While I enjoyed the art, I was most impressed with the steampunky jewelry on offer by friend and blog reader Debbie Haugsten.

Debbie by her jewelry display
at home
We had a brief interlude at home during which I sat on the porch and then strolled a bit of garden.

Smokey wished it our at home time was longer.

Mary and Smokey, and you can see the pots of rudbeckia starts that Kathleen kindly brought me.

Dicentra scandens vine still blooming by the porch

Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Frisia’ all aglow

passionflower finally blooming on the arbour
Astoria
And then we were off for dinner in Astoria with Kathleen.

view to the west from the Astoria Megler Bridge, mouth of the Columbia River

from Trip Advisor
After we had taken our seats at our dinner destination, Himani Indian Cuisine, I had to step outside to take a photo of the sunset over the west hills.


Kathleen’s dinner, a potato-onion pancake sort of dish, whose name I do not know, with soup and a sauce.
See Kathleen’s comment on this post for the names of her dishes.

Mine: delicious chicken korma

Allan goes for the spinach dish.
I had a double serving of raita, my most favourite yogurt-onion-cucumber condiment, and a salt lassi (smooth yogurt drink with lots of salt; those who prefer sweet can have the mango version).
Afterwards, we walked for a few blocks on the River Walk to enjoy the pleasantly warm evening.

I was surprised when the trolley sped by after dark.

the dark river contrasting with the well lit River Walk

Kathleen and I, Allan’s photo

The Wet Dog Café and Brewery…

with live music (Kathleen’s photo suggestion)

Allan’s photo as we pass Himani on our way to the van
Later at home in an amazing breakthrough, Kathleen lured Calvin with a bit of food to actually eat from her hand. For our very shy and neurotic black cat, this was great social progress. Most people don’t even get to see him, but he was interested in her even before she got the food.

Kathleen enticing Calvin
We are very pleased that she will be joining us for this year’s Ilwaco Halloween trick or treating extravaganza (distributing treats, not asking for treats).
Next: The Cranberrian Fair in Ilwaco.
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