As new homes surround bogs, growers cultivate sweeter ties

The housing market was booming in the late 1990s when the cranberry industry collapsed. Per-barrel prices plummeted from $66 to $16, forcing many longtime growers to seek other sources of income. In some cases, that meant selling land around bogs to housing developers.

Now the cranberry industry is rising again, and bogs that lay dormant for the last decade are being restored and cultivated - with new neighbors on the doorstep.

Worried about the potential for conflict between homeowners, who want to enjoy their properties, and cranberry growers, who are trying to make their bogs financially viable, farming organizations are stepping in to advise the growers on how to keep problems to a minimum.

Jeff LaFleur, executive director of the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association, said the challenge is toughest in Southeastern Massachusetts, since 85 percent of the cranberry production statewide is in Plymouth, Bristol, and Barnstable counties.

"We're producing cranberries in the third-most-densely-populated state in the country," LaFleur said. The growers association represents owners of a total of more than 14,000 acres of bog. And according to LaFleur, "Eighty percent of our farmers grow less than twenty acres."

LaFleur said he believes it is more important than ever for growers to forge connections with neighbors. His organization has produced a "Neighbor to Neighbor" brochure for growers, which explains bog cultivation and what to expect in each season.

"People want to live along the bogs for the beautiful vista, but they don't understand our production practices," LaFleur said. "What really causes conflict between growers and their neighbors is fear of the unknown and lack of understanding."

The issue might be something as simple as the noise of motors powering sprinklers during the night. "A neighbor might say, 'Why is he running his irrigation system at two in the morning?' and get angry," LaFleur said. "The truth is the grower isn't running it to aggravate neighbors - he's running it to protect his crop when the temperature drops."

Julie and Sean Fitzgibbons did some research prior to buying a home in January on Captain's Hall Way in Middleborough, so they knew what to expect. Their subdivision, which will contain about two dozen homes, lies on the Carver line and is surrounded by a bog owned by Steve Ward.

"Basically we didn't have any concerns," Sean Fitzgibbons said, and the couple say Ward is very respectful of his neighbors.

"We're not bothered by any of it, and it's pretty to look at," Julie Fitzgibbons said.

Two weeks ago, Ward held a meeting with neighbors to introduce himself and listen to their concerns. He distributed "Neighbor to Neighbor" pamphlets and provided contact phone numbers.

"Some who attended the meeting were super positive, but some were skeptical," Ward said, acknowledging the importance of connecting with neighbors, particularly as their numbers increase.

"I find if you're up front with the neighbors and they know what you're doing, you're better off," Ward said. "We do use helicopters and it's noisy, but we don't do it in the early morning. The heavier pesticides we use around the Fourth of July are a little smelly, so I try to do it late at night so they can shut their windows. The days of being able to spread mid-day are gone."

"A lot of parents have children here," said Tom Boudreau, another neighbor. "They worried about pesticides, but Steve [Ward] told us all about them, and he's good about posting signs."

Ward allows his neighbors access to his bogs, and many walk them frequently. The University of Massachusetts Cranberry Experiment Station advises owners to allow neighbors some access, since it reduces vandalism and general antagonism.

Carlton Chandler, owner of Marshfield Cranberry Co., farms 19 acres of bogs that his family has cultivated since the turn of the century.

"Most of my neighbors appreciate that this is open land," Chandler said. "They realize to keep it that way, there has to be some give and take."

There have been a few bumps in the road, he said.

"I remember one year we had to put on a lot of potassium," he said. "We flew on 400 pounds per acre. That got the neighbors' attention, and they wanted to know what we were doing. But I live here, too, and I'm not going to do anything to hurt anybody."

Jack Angley, owner of Flax Pond Cranberry Co. in Carver, has several homes lining his bogs.

"I find most people are quite appreciative of what we do, and they realize this vista will only exist if we can maintain profitability," Angley said.

He's been a grower for 42 years, and he's found that information is the key to keep good relations. "People need to know what's going on," Angley said.

Carver's town officials have also helped diffuse potential conflicts.

"The town planner has run public forums on the cranberry industry," Angley said. "There's really a great amount of support for us in Carver."

Some growers connect by knocking on doors of new homeowners, setting up group meetings as Ward did, and offering festivals on their properties at harvest. Gary Garretson, who owns bogs in South Carver, Wareham, and Rochester, runs a yearly festival.

"We had a developer build 50 homes around one of our bogs," Garretson said. "Soon after the houses were built, we invited neighbors to come over and visit when we were harvesting. We offered snacks."

It grew into a well-attended yearly festival.

"I feel I owe it to my neighbors to let them know what I'm doing," Garretson said. "They then have an appreciation for it, and that is a benefit to my farm."

Christine Legere can be reached at christinelegere@yahoo.com.