Benson’s Pond offers agricultural education field trips to our working cranberry bog for school age children including public and private schools, homeschools, camps, and scouts. Our immersive experience brings groups bog side as children learn about cranberry varieties, growing seasons, regenerative farming, and what it’s like to be a cranberry farmer!
Our field trips are open all year and include a walking portion around the bogs (accessibility options are available), a history discussion about the cranberry (a native Massachusetts fruit), an equipment showcase, and hands on activities such as making your own bog in a cup to take home.
No matter what time of year, there is always something to see on a cranberry bog. During the winter, vines move into dormancy and turn a beautiful deep red to protect from the cold. In the spring, buds are developing, and the cranberry farm is working hard on farm maintenance and protecting the cranberries from spring frost. Summer brings maturing buds and vines as well as the beautiful cranberry flower blossoms and fall is when cranberries are ready for harvest. All our field trips are non-harvest tours but, in the fall, we will showcase ripe berries on the bogs and aspects of both dry and wet harvesting.
Education Field Trips are $12.00 per child December-August and $15.00 per child September- November with a minimum of 15 paid attendees. We do offer some complimentary tickets for leaders so please inquire. Group sizes can range from 15 to 130. Field trips are approximately 60-90 minutes.
In the off season (December-August) we can book field trips with a minimum of 10 paid people at $12.00 per person and during our harvest season (September-November) we ask for a minimum of $225.00 which includes up to 15 people. We do offer some comps for teachers/leaders – please inquire. We do ask for a non refundable deposit for some field trips.
On occasion we will hold a weekend field trip or early evening if groups are large enough.
Regenerative farming works with nature and the local land to rebuild soil health, boost biodiversity, increase plant health and improve water cycles, helping restore natural ecosystems. Utilizing these practices, we aim to grow a more nutrient dense cranberry while maintaining a healthy and resilient ecosystem.
Field trips are 90 minutes. We can take groups up to 100 at a time. We will split into groups of 25-35 and rotate through activities. We can split larger groups over different days or times the same day to accommodate groups over 100.
There is always something happening on a cranberry bog! In the fall when cranberries are ripe, we get up close to the vines and berries and we demonstrate our historic dry cranberry separator. Winter brings out the lovely red dormant vines. In spring we focus on the growing buds and discuss how we use integrated pest management. Summer brings our beautiful cranberry blossoms. All tours focus on how cranberries grow, life of a cranberry farmer, and we discuss how cranberries are harvested.
Tours are 60-90 minutes depending on group size and questions. We can take groups up to 125. We can split even larger groups over different days or times of day as needed.
Yes we have high end portable restrooms with running water. We do have an ADA restroom.
Our field trips are non harvest educational outings, even in the fall. In the fall we are able to add in demonstrations on dry picking and sorting on our cranberry separator. We also showcase ripe berries right on the cranberry bogs.
We have a small bubbler for small sips as needed. We recommend bringing your own water thermos. We do sell drinks including water in our store.
Yes, our parking area can accomodate buses, vans and cars.
Cranberry bog roads and hard packed sand and dirt. We suggest supportive footwear such as sneakers or boots. Please consider the weather that day as well as the roads and surrounding areas can get muddy.
Please let us know in advance if you are looking to have lunch on site. Depending on the schedule, we may have time to let your group enjoy their lunches on our outdoor patio and grass areas.
We have a cranberry themed farm store with locally made items such as soaps, candles, jelly, chocolates and more. In the fall we also have fresh Benson’s Pond cranberries for sale. Our store takes cash, major credit cards, Venmo and Apple Pay.
