The "Crane-Berry"
Cultivation of the wild cranberry began about 1816 on Cape Cod.  Cranberries spread elsewhere and landed in Wisconsin in 1853.  The major states that grow this fruit are Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Oregon, New Jersey and into Canada.
    Long before the Pilgrims arrived, the Indians combined crushed cranberries with dried deer meat and melted fat to make pemmican - a convenience food that would keep for a long time.
    The Indian Medicine men also brewed cranberry poultices to draw out poison from arrow wounds.  The Aloquins of Wisconsin call the fruit "atoqua"
    Popularity grew for this tangy berry.  As the Pilgrims began to settle and thrive, cranberries became a staple in their lives.
    Cranberries contain Vitamin C and their waxy coating keeps them fresh for a long time.  Many American ships carried cranberries stored in barrels of cold water to be served to the crew to prevent scurvy.