During the year, the cranberry cycle is as follows; first the flowering period, which takes place at the end of May and June. The island is largely covered with purple red flowers. Most plants have a first and second flowering, rather quickly on top of each other. Flowering is highly dependent on the position of the groundwater during the winter months. In this period there is still a great danger for the next harvest, because cranberries are strong plants but very sensitive to night frost, especially during the flowering period. Night frost may still occur in the first days of June, and the extent of the damage depends on the groundwater level at that time. In the first week of September, pickers move into the fields all over the island. Their only tool is a picking box and some burlap bags.
Until about 30 years ago the berries were still picked with bare hands, which was very suitable for the berries but less for the hands and especially less fit for the yield. Then an experienced picker picked 60 to 70 kg per day, now the picker can achieve ten times as much on a very good day. and Staatsbosbeheer have the right to pick the cranberries. The berries are then loaded into large bags and stored in freezer cells as preparation for production. If the official harvest is closed in October, the fields will be released for the private harvest.
