10/27/2026
Know Your State Symbols: Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice became the official state juice in 2023, recognizing the historical and cultural significance of cranberries in New Jersey. Native to North America, cranberries grow on vines that are very close to the ground and require sandy, acidic soil with a high water table, known as a bog.
The New Jersey Pinelands is one of the few places where cranberries grow naturally. The Lenape ate these berries fresh or dried and used them to make pemmican, a nutritious long-storing food. Colonists soon acquired a taste for cranberries, too, and commercial production began in South Jersey in 1835. New Jersey farmers continue to grow cranberries and today most use the wet-picking method. Bogs are flooded with water and mechanical water reels are used to knock the berries off the vines. Because the fruit contains pockets of air, the berries float to the surface and are easily gathered.
The state's cranberry production is primarily centered in Burlington, Atlantic, and Ocean counties. New Jersey ranks third behind Wisconsin and Massachusetts in cranberry production, harvesting 58 million pounds annually worth more than $20 million.
🌎🥤
