Last Sunday: The weather was too good to stay at home, so we were taking the Vespa's out for a spin, and came by a pond that wasn't there before, with lots of red stuff in it.
Of course, it is cranberry harvest time. The farmland in the Pitt Meadows wetlands are surrounded by dykes. When the fruit is ripe, the fields gets flooded, and special picking machines comb the vines.
The berries float to the surface, are being corralled by harvesters on to a conveyor belt into a truck, and transported to a produce plant where they will be processed to juice, jam, sauce, dried or become other parts of the food chain. I love everything cranberry!
The weather is brilliant, not too cold, and we enjoy our little trip. Fall is definitely my favourite time of the year. Less traffic, with the fair weather riders and weekend warriors gone, their vehicles probably already mothballed.
It is that time of the year when oncoming riders no matter what marque or creed, will be even waving at two Vespa enthusiasts ;-)
Gotta love this place. Only twenty minutes from home...
Cranberry juice....yum. I know it is a bit weid but I love the stuf, cost a bloody fortune over here. You really are motivating me to get a vespa....as i am probably motivating you.........You just carnt have two many two wheelers...
ReplyDeleteFall really is the best weather for riding here in Colorado as well. Spring is a close second but the weather is iffy.
ReplyDeleteGood pics of the cranberry picking process....as to Yellowstone or Yosemite...my bad. : )
dom
Redleg's Rides
Colorado Motorcycle Travel Examiner
@Raftnn: Truly spoken, there is no such thing as too many bikes ;-)
ReplyDelete@Charlie6: I knew you had the right park in mind ;-) Spring is my second favourite season, once the the blossoming starts and the green returns.
Beautiful pictures and you are very fortunate to have all that only twenty minutes from home. I love cranberry anything as well but need to watch the sugar. The only problem with Fall is that it's so short.
ReplyDeleteRichard
I never knew that cranberries grew in paddy fields!
ReplyDeleteFall and Winter were always the best time for us. In the sunny South our winterizing consisted of... riding!
ReplyDeleteI love cranberries too. Especially with Capt. Morgan and a splash of pineapple juice! Yummy!
I love looking at your beautiful pictures. You have a great eye.
@RichardM: Yes, we are fortunate, not living directly in Vancouver city. Actually it would take us longer to drive downtown than riding out to the countryside.
ReplyDelete@Nikos: In fact they grow in dry fields, however most of the harvesting these days seem to be done by flooding and collecting the floating berries.
@Lady Ridesalot: Nice to be able to ride all year round in decent conditions, although it would be way too hot for me in summer...
What a great day!!
ReplyDeleteWe have cranberry fields/bogs in Southern Oregon but I've never gone down to watch the harvest. Hmmm might have to make some cranberry orange muffins now.
I'd never given it any thought as to how Cranberries are harvested. Interesting . . . and very red.
ReplyDeleteAs always, I love the photos.
And, I've noticed the phenomena of the riders who ride when the temperatures dip and the rain comes waving to any rider that's out and about no matter what "tribe" they may come from.
Thanks for the share.
And thanks for cranberries too!
ReplyDeleteFall - it's my favorite too. It's crisp and colorfull and the riding gear seems suddenly weather appropriate. Enjoy!
Sometimes the best trips are those that are the closest to home. We love everything cranberry in our house - especially if it involves 'tini' at the end, as in crantini. I knew that was how they harvested them, but it would be interesting to see it being done. Must be cold standing in a wet cranberry bog. Heres hoping our winter will be dry, I hear they are saying it is going to be a cold one. I can handle cold and dry. I don't want to give up my scooter and motorcycle addiction just yet. Today I went for my first solo motorcycle ride and then came home and went for a scooter ride, what an awesome afternoon.
ReplyDeleteCranberry orange muffins sound devine Trobairitz.
Thanks for the beautiful pictures they brighten up an otherwise grey day!