Hi All,
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Melissa Pasanen, Correspondent for The Burlington Free Press recently did a story on Fletcher Cranberry Farmer, Bob Lesnikoski, of The North Road who has learned a few things over 10 years of farming cranberries in Vermont. I happened to mention The Fletcher Cranberry Farmer in one of my news letters and questions came rolling in as to just where was this Cranberry Bog located, so I made a phone call
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Happens that Joe Lesnikoski, Bob's son answered the phone and he told me that while he was talking to me, he was also packing cranberries. Bob Lesnikoski is shown above in front of one of the cranberry beds. This particular bed has not been flooded yet.
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Bob Lesnikoski is shown above with his Cranberry Picker in front of the other Cranberry Bed that has been flooded. Bob told me the flooding is done to prevent freezing in the winter.
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Seen in the background is the old Fletcher Homestead. Bob told me that the land was granted to Fletcher Original Rufus Montague back in 1805. If you wanted to catch a glimpse of the two Cranberry Bogs, you simply go up to Fletcher and when you get to the T in the road, take a left then your first right which is North Road. You go up that road a ways going past Boozan Hill. When you get to a sharp right that goes up to meet the Metcalf Pond Road, that is where Bob Lesnikoski's Cranberry Farm is. Years ago, it belonged to a family by the name of Edwardson. Bob has been living here for about 10 years.
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Above you can see a photo of the front of the package while the back gives you the recipe for Quick Cranberry Sauce -- Something I am going to ask my daughters to prepare for our Thanksgiving Dinner. I asked Bob if any of our local stores carried it and he told me the Country Store in Cambridge did as well as The Adams Turkey Farm.
If you would like to read the story written by Melissa Pasanen in the Burlington Free Press, just click on the following link:
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006611140326
Now if you are unable to find any of these local Vermont Grown Cranberries, you might even try calling Bob at 802-849-6358 or you could always send an e-mail to him at:
vtcranco@surfglobal.net
Bob told me he does not have a website yet, but is on the Vermont Fresh network at:
http://www.vermontfresh.net/member.php?ID=1150
I had planned to also get a photo of Joe Lesnikoski packing cranberries. Joe is a student at BFA Fairfax and has a job after school besides packing cranberries at this time of year. Will try contacting joe and add a photo of him packing cranberries if we can make a connection. According to the Burlington Free Press article, Bob, his wife and three children handle all the requirements of the business, although the only one I met was Bob.[/b]