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A Cranberry Thanksgiving: Worcester Kindergartners Explore an Extra-Special Local Crop for the Holidays

cranberriresDid you know that cranberries are the largest agricultural crop in Massachusetts? Or that they bounce when ripe, earning them the nickname “bounce berries?” This November, students from Mass. Farm to School’s Worcester Kindergarten Initiative had the opportunity to learn about this local superfood as part of their classroom Thanksgiving activities. In true farm to school form, their kindergarten teachers forged a myriad of connections between the cranberry and their classroom material. Some focused on the botanical aspects of the berry, looking closely at how it grows and the parts of the plant, while others delved into the cranberry’s role in history, examining how its uses have evolved over time, and others took the cranberry activity as an opportunity for a science lesson to explore the concept of density.

No matter where students traveled during their cranberry lessons, the Kindergarten Initiative’s theme of local food was consistently emphasized in each classroom. Cranberries have an important place in Massachusetts agriculture. There are approximately 400 cranberry growers working on more than 14,000 acres of bogs across the state, which makes Massachusetts the second-largest cranberry growing region in the world! Worcester kindergartners have eagerly tasted many local fruits and vegetables this fall, including apples, broccoli, vegetable soup, cherry tomatoes, basil, bell peppers, and carrots, and they were happy to add cranberries to this ever-growing list, concluding their explorations by making cranberry sauce right in their classrooms. Check out our kindergartners’ recipe below, and support your local cranberry farmers by celebrating the season with this simple, delicious sauce.

Kindergarten Initiative Crockpot Cranberry Sauce

Makes approximately 25 servings; enough for a crowd – or a classroom!

  • 24 ounces fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Place all ingredients in a crockpot and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for three hours, stirring once each hour. After three hours, remove the lid and stir sauce well. Keep the lid off and cook on high for about 45 more minutes, stirring regularly until sauce thickens and the cranberries have all popped. Let cool slightly and then serve.



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