Gathering In The Bog

Tawny Cotton Grass
Eriophorum virginicum

Bogs are one of our favorite habitats. We are lucky to have several nearby, and we love to walk down to explore them. The closest is only 1/4 of a mile down from the edge of our woods. This time of year I go to harvest some of the wild cranberries (Vaccinium oxycoccos) that are growing there. I’ll use the cranberries in a sauce to can for the holidays and freeze some as well. I love squatting down among the now crimson red sphagnum moss (Sphagnum rubellum), the rhodora (Rhododendron canadense), and larches ( Larix laricina), to fill a small basket with the tart berries. I also love feeling the satisfaction of having this fruit, which is so rich in both antioxidants and nutrients, so close by.
It’s quite serene in the bog, a divine stillness really. I am certain it is a place we won’t likely bump into fellow (human) ‘woods walkers’, though it is evident that deer and moose are finding refuge in the bog. We follow their trails along the edge, and we can see where they have stopped to browse many of the water plants that grow there. This particular bog does not have much open water. It is covered with a thick mat of sphagnum moss, cranberries, three- seeded bog sedge (Carex trisperma), tawny cotton grass ( Eriophorum virginicum), rhodora ( Rhodora canadense), and Labrador Tea (Ledum groenlandicum) to name a few. The color in the bog is stunning right now, although we love the beauty and diversity of these soggy habitats all year round. Now that the gardening season is winding down, it allows us to do a little exploring. If you know of a bog near you….treat yourself, and go check it out!

Larix laricina