Estonia's cranberry harvest very poor in some areas this year
The cranberry harvest in Estonia has been very hit and miss this year, again thanks to the rainy summer.
In the Emajõe-Suursoo bog, near Peipsi järv, the ground is mostly red with cranberries (Estonian: Jõhvikas) at the time of year they are most abundant. However, since lake's water level this was higher than usual, the berries ended up being submerged. This is also the case in other parts of the country
"There are a lot of flooded places, and it's not because of bog restoration but simply because there has been more rainfall. Cranberries grow on the edges of transitional mires, but those areas are underwater. A good friend of mine went to their usual cranberry spot in Pärnu County, near the Reiu River, where the floods were bad, and said they simply couldn't get through," cranberry expert Kristel Vilbaste told "Aktuaalne kaamera."
According to Vilbaste, in some bogs the cranberry yield may also be poor as flying insects were mostly grounded in the rainy weather seen over summer, leaving the plants unpollinated.
"During the cranberry flowering season, in the first days of June, there were some very rainy days. Cranberries are insect-pollinated, so the berries didn't get fertilized. Ahunapalu (a village in Tartu County near to the lake – ed.) is said to be completely empty," Vilbaste went on.
At the same time there are some areas where cranberries can be found.
The nearby Laeva bog is full of cranberries; berries can also even be found in Emajõe-Suursoo — you just have to look a bit harder.
"I think there actually aren't that many empty areas. Farther out, there are still plenty of places with cranberries. You just have to look for them. This year you can't just go into the forest and immediately fill your basket, but the search itself can be enjoyable," said local foods initiative leader Tauno Laasik.
Both Laasik and Vilbaste noted that Estonians are consuming fewer cranberries than in the past, with even fewer people going out to pick them.
The region around the west coast of Peipsi järv, however, remains an exception.
"It has historically been a very significant source of extra income for the local community. It is true that there are fewer and fewer people doing it each year, but I hope the habit or tradition of cranberry picking doesn't die out completely. There are still people who pick, and city dwellers can buy their cranberries at the market. So there's need to start buying Canadian cranberries just yet," Laasik said.
Cranberries have a broader utility in Estonian cuisine than they might have for instance in the U.K., where commercially produced cranberry sauce is popular with Christmas turkey. In Estonia, it is used in deserts such as cranberry foam (jõhvikavaht) and kissel (a sweet berry soup), as well as to top pancakes and ice cream. Cranberry juice is also common.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Johanna Alvin
Source: "Aktuaalne kaamera"
