October 09, 2017 - 2:16 PM
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. - Cranberry farmers in New Jersey are keeping an eye on unseasonably warm fall temperatures as they prepare their harvests.
WHYY-FM reports farmers across the southern half of the state are waiting for temperatures to drop. They note cranberries start with a pale green colour, transition to white and eventually turn deep red from cool weather.
Washington Township farmer Bill Haines says farmers lose money if they have too much white fruit. He says colour is important because most of the cranberries are used in juice or for Craisins.
New Jersey is among the country's biggest producers of cranberries. The makeup of the state's cranberry farming industry has shifted from small farms to a few large-scale operations. Last year, the state harvested about $28 million worth of cranberries, which can be used for Thanksgiving cranberry sauce.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017