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About Us
A Family Tradition
William Walker landed on the Cape in 1630, married Sarah Snow daughter of Constance Hopkins who arrived on the
Mayflower. Francis Baker arrived in 1635 and settled in the Bass River area on lands granted by King James.
Cranberries have been a part of my family's long Cape tradition. It was my grandfather, Benjamin Walker, a Dennis
lobster fisherman and cranberry grower, who owned the bog I now work. Ben is documented as the fastest picker in
his day using a hand rocker scoop. In 1912, in a six-hour day on the old Luther Hall bog in Nobscussett (formerly
belonging to Henry Hall and prior the Nobscussett Indian Tribe), Ben harvested 19 barrels of berries (almost one ton)
- that was 238 measures. At six cents a measure he netted $14.28, which was more than many men earned in a
week and well worth the tired back. In the 1930's the cranberry industry plummeted. Like many growers of the time,
Ben Walker was forced to sell off his bogs, his last in the 1950's.
Decades passed and in 1994, I decided to change my career as a Broadway production wardrobe supervisor. I
wanted to "come home" and try my hand (knees and back) at the tradition of growing cranberries. After an exhaustive
search and negotiation, I acquired the Dennis bog formerly owned by my grandfather, Ben. Amazingly the plot plan
still had Ben's Bog and Molly's Pasture clearly labeled. As fate would have it, I have a nephew Ben and a niece Molly
who have already helped plant, weed, and pick the bog. Perhaps I can nurture a piece of history for future generations
to continue.
William Walker landed on the Cape in 1630, married Sarah Snow daughter of Constance Hopkins who arrived on the
Mayflower. Francis Baker arrived in 1635 and settled in the Bass River area on lands granted by King James.
Cranberries have been a part of my family's long Cape tradition. It was my grandfather, Benjamin Walker, a Dennis
lobster fisherman and cranberry grower, who owned the bog I now work. Ben is documented as the fastest picker in
his day using a hand rocker scoop. In 1912, in a six-hour day on the old Luther Hall bog in Nobscussett (formerly
belonging to Henry Hall and prior the Nobscussett Indian Tribe), Ben harvested 19 barrels of berries (almost one ton)
- that was 238 measures. At six cents a measure he netted $14.28, which was more than many men earned in a
week and well worth the tired back. In the 1930's the cranberry industry plummeted. Like many growers of the time,
Ben Walker was forced to sell off his bogs, his last in the 1950's.
Decades passed and in 1994, I decided to change my career as a Broadway production wardrobe supervisor. I
wanted to "come home" and try my hand (knees and back) at the tradition of growing cranberries. After an exhaustive
search and negotiation, I acquired the Dennis bog formerly owned by my grandfather, Ben. Amazingly the plot plan
still had Ben's Bog and Molly's Pasture clearly labeled. As fate would have it, I have a nephew Ben and a niece Molly
who have already helped plant, weed, and pick the bog. Perhaps I can nurture a piece of history for future generations
to continue.
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