Cranberries
An episode of the Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast, hosted by iHeartPodcasts, titled "Cranberries" was published on December 10, 2025 and runs 36 minutes.
December 10, 2025 ·36m · Stuff You Missed in History Class
Summary
The cranberries we typically eat are native to North America, though they are also grown in other places. How did they become a standard part of the holiday table?
Episode Description
The cranberries we typically eat are native to North America, though they are also grown in other places. How did they become a standard part of the holiday table?
Research:
- Albanese, Ellen. “A brief history of the cranberry—Cape Cod’s most important fruit.” Cape Cod Life. 2016 Annual. https://capecodlife.com/a-brief-history-of-the-cranberry-cape-cods-most-important-fruit/
- Banks, Sir Joseph, and Sir Joseph D. Hooker, ed. “Journal of the Right Hon., Sir Joseph Banks, BART., K.B., P.R.S., During Captain Cook’s First Voyage in M.S. Endeavour in 1768-71 To Terra Del Fuego [sic], Otahite, new Zealand, Australia, the Dutch East indies, Etc.” ” London. Macmillan and Co., LTD. 1896. https://library.dbca.wa.gov.au/FullTextFiles/926449.pdf
- Berman-Vaporis, Irene, et al. “The U.S. cranberry harvest explained in four charts.” National Geographic. Nov. 27, 2019. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/united-states-cranberry-harvest-explained-charts?loggedin=true&rnd=1764767841856
- Blakemore, Erin. “A Brief History of Cranberries.” Smithsonian. Nov. 25, 2015. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/brief-history-cranberries-180957399/
- Borunda, Alejandro. “Climate change is coming for New England's cranberries.” National geographic. Nov. 25, 2020. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/climate-change-affecting-massachusetts-cranberries
- Chen, Angus. “We Tried A Futuristic Cranberry. It Was Fresh And Naturally Sweet.” NPR. Nov. 24, 2015. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/11/24/457247226/cranberry-you-could-eat-without-sugar
- “DDT - A Brief History and Status.” Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/ddt-brief-history-and-status
- Eastwood, B. “Complete Manual for the Cultivation of the Cranberry: With a Description of the Best Varieties.” A.O. Moore. 1859. https://archive.org/details/completemanualf00eastgoog/page/n4/mode/2up
- Henshaw, Tom. “Cranberry Industry Seen Hurt for Years by Weed Killer Scare.” Courir-Post. Nov. 26, 1959. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/180597557/?match=1&terms=Marcus%20Urann
- “Historical Timeline of Cranberries.” Massachusetts Cranberries. https://www.cranberries.org/history
- Josselyn, John. “New-England's rarities discovered in birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, and plants of that country.” Boston. William Veazie. 1865. https://archive.org/details/newenglandsrarit00joss/page/n7/mode/2up
- “Marcus Urann Scholarship.” Bank of America. https://www.gnbvt.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Marcus-Urann-Scholarship-.pdf
- “M. Urann Rites Are Tomorrow.” The Standard-Times. April 5, 1963. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/1260416770/?match=1&terms=Marcus%20Urann
- “Our History.” CoBank. https://www.cobank.com/corporate/history
- Readal, Maryann. “Cranberry – Herb for the Holidays.” The HerbSociety of America Blog. Nov. 7, 2022. https://herbsocietyblog.wordpress.com/tag/elizabeth-lee-ocean-spray/
- Smith, K. Annabelle. “How Marcus Urann’s idea revolutionized the cranberry industry.” Smithsonian. Nov. 27, 2013. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/this-man-made-the-first-canned-cranberry-sauce-180947862/
- Tennenbaum, David, and Lee Sensenbrenner. “Sprouting a new future for Wisconsin’s red and white.” University of Madison-Wisconsin News. Oct. 29, 2015. https://news.wisc.edu/sprouting-a-new-future-for-wisconsins-red-and-white/
- Theobald, Mary Miley. “Bogged Down in Cranberries.” Colonial Williamsburg. https://research.colonialwilliamsburg.org/Foundation/journal/Holiday06/cran.cfm
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