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The Federated Women's Institutes 01 Ontario 'HOME Vol. 59 No. 4 Win 1993 COUNTRY Located in Bala. the Johnstons' productive cranberry marsh stands out at harvest like a blazing crimson jewel in the lush Muskoka landscape. You might almost wonder if the Johnston family had cranberry juice coursing through their veins after 40 years of running the marsh. one of Ontario's two commercial bogs. Orville Johnston first got interested in the commercial possibilities of this native North American fruit in the early 19505. Cranberries had long grown wild in the Muskoka region; the loamy soil was suitably acidic and ' proximity to water was just right. SO. with his brother Melville. he methodi- cally made plans, learning as he progressed. until finally both were ready to get down to the business of raising cranberries. The Johnston brothers began drain- ing their marshland, stripping off surface vegetation and creating dykes to form separate beds. Raised roadways were created and an irrigation system was established Then, when the vines went in it took them several seasons to reach bearing age... and then, at last. the Johnston brothers were in business. All ofthis may seem like distant his- tory to the Johnston family now. Today. the thriving Balaoperalion is still run by two Johnston brothers. Orville's two sons. Blake and Murray. now own and operate the 20-acre marsh. Every tall, Murray Johnston and his brother Blake harvest roughly 300,000 pounds of fusetous red era/7A berries [ram the/r 20~acre mars/1m Ea/a, Ontario then. in the late seventies, and took it as a personal challenge And, you know; it glVL‘s you real satisfaction to be involved in realizing a family ‘ dream," Between them Blake and Murray oversee an annual production of roughl} 300,000 pounds ofcranbemes perseason Axktltl) Johnston aboutthe ‘ “season” and you’ll immediately be set straight: cranberry growing is a ' u year-round enterprise. The harvest 1!? self may only encompass a brief four weeks around 'Hianksgi\‘ing, but prof duelion takes the tall course or a year. Through the fallow winter months ditches are cleaned, beds sanded and equipment repaired In spring there's pruning and needing, and then, as 1 summer sets in, pollination, The Johnstons‘ hut‘c l1|\'€S of honey bees brought in to assist the local wild pollinators. Mowing and ditch mainte- Photo courtesy oi Focdlland [mam When asked about the inevitability ot a career in cranberries. Murray smiles” "It \vasn'tthat we were ever expected to carry on With the business But my brother and I saw the potential as it ths nance are ongoing processes and irriga- tion must be managed as an antidote to drought and as protection against un- seasonal trost. conltnued on page 12 Inside: Headquarters Update . . . . . . . . . . , . . . FWIO August Board . Smoke Alarms . . FWIO Strategic Plan. Portable Sawmills. . . . JWIO and Hasti-Notes . . . . . . . . . . , . . Profile: Bernice Noblitt . . . i . Tricks al the Trade .. . . Cross Country Calendar. . . .