10/01/2026
For Cranberry Month this October, we’re sharing a look at Alleghany CEO Chad Klotzbach’s recent visit to A.D. Makepeace Company in Massachusetts, where approximately 1,700 acres are dedicated to cranberry production.
The visit offered a firsthand look at the infrastructure, water management, and coordination behind a cranberry harvest. During wet harvest, bogs are flooded and the vines are agitated to release the berries. Water levels are then raised so the floating fruit can be gathered, cleaned, and moved out by conveyor.
Much of the crop moves through the Ocean Spray cooperative, where cranberries can be frozen and processed throughout the year.
Visits like this bring valuable perspective to the engineering, drainage, and water-management solutions we deliver every day at Alleghany.
And despite the social media warnings, no deadly spiders were spotted!