Parting Shots from the Willoughby Bog

A pretty scene from the bog.

American red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.)

From the USDA Plants Database:

Uses Ethnobotanic: A tea was made from the leaves and used in the treatment of diarrhea and as an aid in childbirth (Moerman 1998). The tea has also been known to relieve painful menstrual cramps (Ibid.). Externally, the leaves and roots are used as a gargle to treat tonsillitis and mouth inflammations, sores, minor wounds, burns and varicose ulcers (Brown 1995). Europeans in the 17th century regarded the raspberries as an antispasmodic and they made a syrup of the juice which they employed to prevent vomiting (Readers Digest 1990). In the 18th century physicians and herbalists deemed the berries useful as a remedy for heart disease (Ibid). Red raspberries are eaten fresh or in jams and jellies, or added to pies and other baked goods, candies and dairy products to add flavor. Purple to dull blue dye was obtained from the fruit.

Wildlife: American red raspberry provides food and cover for many wildlife species. Grouse, birds, raccoons, coyotes, squirrels, skunks, and chipmunks eat the fruits. Raspberry thickets provide shelter for rabbits and squirrels and service as a nesting spot for many birds.

Lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium augustifolium)

This is one of the only three native fruits of North America (the others are the cranberry and Concord grapes).

The Willoughby Bog is part of the land managed by the Nature Conservancy, which manages thousands of acres in Vermont.

I hiked the Willoughby Bog twice on two consecutive days and have gained a lot of photographs of plants that I have not photographed before. I have posted about what we saw many times now on both blogs. I still have not blogged about the pitcher plants on the blog. That will be a Photo A Day post in the next couple of days. I want to return next season and find the rest of the plants that are known to grow there that I missed this year. I want to get the False Solomon's Seal in bloom. It has been a day of sorrow here and it was comforting to remember pleasanter days.

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Cranberries

Vaccinium macrocarpon

These are “Ocean Spray cranberries” — the wild, native berries found in bogs throughout northern North America. You can see two white berries in this photograph. All cranberries begin white and become red as they ripen. These wild berries are exactly like the Ocean Spray berries you buy for Thanksgiving. The Willoughby Bog is covered with cranberry plants. In fact, they sometimes obscure the other bog plants.

Ocean Spray has a wonderful list of Fun Facts about cranberries:

• The cranberry is one of only a handful of major fruits native to North America. Others include the blueberry and Concord grape.

• The cranberry gets its name from Dutch and German settlers, who called it "crane berry." When the vines bloom in the late spring and the flowers' light pink petals twist back, they have a resemblance to the head and bill of a crane. Over time, the name was shortened to cranberry.

• During the days of wooden ships and iron men, American vessels carried cranberries. Just as the English loved limes, American sailors craved cranberries. It was the cranberry's generous supply of vitamin C that prevented scurvy.

• Native Americans used cranberries to make a survival cake known as pemmican. They also used the fruit in poultices and dyes.

• Dennis, Massachusetts was the site of the first recorded cranberry cultivation in 1816.

• American recipes containing cranberries date from the early 18th Century.

• Legend has it that the Pilgrims may have served cranberries at the first Thanksgiving in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

• During World War II, American troops required about one million pounds of dehydrated cranberries a year.

• The hearty cranberry vine thrives in conditions that would not support most other crops: acid soil, few nutrients and low temperatures, even in summer.

• It takes one ton or more of cranberry vines per acre to plant a bog.

• Depending on the weather, cranberry blossoms last 10 to 12 days.

• Contrary to popular belief, cranberries do not grow in water. They are grown on sandy bogs or marshes. Because cranberries float, some bogs are flooded when the fruit is ready for harvesting.

• If all the cranberry bogs in North America were put together, they would comprise an area equal in size to the tiny island of Nantucket, off Massachusetts, approximately 47 square miles.

• Cranberries are primarily grown in five states — Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington. Another 5,500 acres are cultivated in Chile, Quebec, and British Columbia. There are nearly 1,000 cranberry growers in America.

• The 1996 harvest yielded more than 200 billion cranberries — about 40 for every man, woman and child on the planet.

• In 1996, cranberry growers in the United States harvested 4.84 million barrels of fruit, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. End to end, that many berries would span more than 1.75 million miles. Did you know that there are 440 cranberries in one pound? 4,400 cranberries in one gallon of juice? 440,000 cranberries in a 100-pound barrel?

• Americans consume some 400 million pounds of cranberries each year. About 80 million pounds — or 20 percent — are gobbled up during Thanksgiving week.

• Seven of 10 cranberries sold in the world today come from Ocean Spray, a grower cooperative started in 1930.

• If you strung all the cranberries produced in North America last year, they would stretch from Boston to Los Angeles more than 565 times.

• Cranberries are sometimes used to flavor wines, but do not ferment as naturally as grapes, making them unsuitable for the traditional winemaking process.

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The Willoughby Bog Hike

On July 30, Catgirl, Ironman, Wingnut and I hiked the Willoughby Bog in the Westmore Town Forest. It is part of the Willoughby State Forest. This is the only photograph I have of Wingnut on this hike! He kept disappearing or walking far ahead of us. I finally, here near the end of the hike, ordered him to stop and pose with the little kids. And what a contrast of ages and heights! Wingnut was terrific with the little kids this summer.

This hike is full of bridges, log walks and stepping stones to cross brooks and wetlands. The kids loved all these, as you can see below. Little four-year-old Ironman carried our snacks and supplies for more than one mile! After that, Wingnut carried them for the little guy.

In the photograph above, you see the beginning of the actual bog walk. This is the shortest and most interesting part of the hike. The bog here was full of blueberries and pitcher plants. Below are the many plants that we saw and photographed.

Above, the blue fruit of the bluebead lily (Clintonia borealis)

Above, a bracket fungus called a hoof tinder fungus (Fomes fomentarius) because it looks like a giant horse hoof. This one is three years old because there are three layers (cracks). One layer grows each year.

Above, bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

Above: A purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea).. I didn't even know how important this plant was until John saw the photo the next day and got excited about it. He and I returned to the bog the next day so that he could see them. He taught me a lot about this rare plant.

Above: Shining Firmoss (Huperzia lucidula). John and I spent this evening identifying, and re-identifying plants. This plant, which I called a clubmoss, created quite a debate. Technically it is not a clubmoss but is often called a clubmoss.

There are signs all over the trails. We took the Back Loop Trail that made this hike just over two miles long — quite long enough for such little folk as Catgirl and Ironman. You can't get lost with the good signposts! There was also a great informational signboard towards the beginning of the trail. All of the guides and maps on the board were available at the Westmore Town Clerk. I never have picked up copies, though. I should.

The Willoughby Bog is dedicated to Erland C. Gjessing and a plaque stands at the beginning of the bog walk in his honor:

At the end of the hike, we saw a wonderful view of Wheeler Mountain from the trail. After the hike, we drove all the way down to Lyndonville and had lunch at MacDonald's! The kids all thought that was fantastic (there are no fast food places closer than twenty miles from the house, so we never go unless we go into town). We also went to Green Mountain Books in Lyndonville and got some great guide books, novels and activity books for the summer. It was a great day!

Wheeler Mountain

del.icio.us Tags: bluebead lily,Clintonia borealis,Willoughby Bog Walk,Willoughby State Park,Westmore Town Forest,bunchberry,Cornus canadensis,purple pitcher plant,Sarracenia purpurea,shining firmoss,Huperzia lucidula,bracket fungus,tinder hoof fungus,Fomes fomentarius,Erland C. Gjessing,Wheeler Mountain

Flickr Tags: bluebead lily,Clintonia borealis,Willoughby Bog Walk,Willoughby State Park,Westmore Town Forest,bunchberry,Cornus canadensis,purple pitcher plant,Sarracenia purpurea,shining firmoss,Huperzia lucidula,bracket fungus,tinder hoof fungus,Fomes fomentarius,Erland C. Gjessing,Wheeler Mountain

Technorati Tags: bluebead lily,Clintonia borealis,Willoughby Bog Walk,Willoughby State Park,Westmore Town Forest,bunchberry,Cornus canadensis,purple pitcher plant,Sarracenia purpurea,shining firmoss,Huperzia lucidula,bracket fungus,tinder hoof fungus,Fomes fomentarius,Erland C. Gjessing,Wheeler Mountain

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