Mandy and Brian Dewit

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Showcasing cranberry harvest

Mandy and Brian Dewit of Fort Langley, British Columbia, have been around agriculture for a long time. While Brian’s family primarily worked with livestock, the couple were intrigued when Brian’s parents joined the Ocean Spray Cooperative, and incorporated cranberries into their farm business. Although still working full time elsewhere, Mandy and Brian established their own cranberry farm in 2010. Called Riverside Cranberry Farm, or “The Bog,” Mandy and Brian now work on the farm full-time, supplying fruit for wholesale markets, and growing their own independent, direct-to-consumer brand of cranberries and cranberry products. From cider and jellies, to sauces and raw berries, the family’s products are sold in their on-farm shop as well as at local markets and grocery stores across British Columbia. “Going independent is pretty rare here and a bit of a gamble on our part,” says Mandy. “We really enjoy setting up the farm. It’s a ton of trial and error. I think maybe that’s farming in general. There’s not one tried and true method of doing anything, and we talk, research and get ideas from other farmers.” “Harvest in the fall is the best time. It’s insane, and we work long hours, but you finally see the fruits of your labour. There’s still plenty to do the rest of the year, but it’s just not as intense.” Mandy and her family enjoy connecting with the public, too. Despite the busy fall harvest season, they open The Bog to the wider community for several weeks each year, and have previously partnered with organizers at Fort Langley’s annual Cranberry Festival to showcase how cranberries are grown. “We really want people to understand what it takes to grow food. A lot of people think cranberries grow in water year-round, but they don’t…There was no real agricultural connection with the festival at all, so we reached out to see if we could help make that connection,” Mandy says. “Now, people attending the festival have an opportunity to take a bus tour to The Bog and see cranberry harvest in action.” “Everybody wants the experience. It’s partially to educate the public, and we try to time our harvest to weekends so people can see what we do.”