BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. — Despite the coronavirus pandemic hurting sales for some Wisconsin farmers, father-son duo Tom and Jim Bible of Brockway Cranberry in Black River Falls found a way to reign supreme, even in a tough climate.

“I am only 83, you got to keep going,” says Tom Bible of Brockway Cranberry in Black River Falls. “They call me a lot of things, but I don’t dare tell you, but my nickname  since grade school is Tractor Tom.” 

Which is why during harvest season, Tom’s content and prefers to run the truck and to Ocean Spray's Tacoma receiving plant.

He credits his son Jim for being the brains of the operation.

“I have been growing cranberries for the Ocean Spray co-op for 39 years," says Jim Bible, son. 

“We are the largest growers in the world right here in Wisconsin. We do 60 percent of the berries,” says Tom. 

 In the early 1990s, Jim and Tom started Brockway Cranberry when it was nothing but woods.

“Now we are at about 100 acres and we have about 85 percent in production right now,” says Jim.

This harvest season, Tom is behind the wheel. They’re hauling about 250,000 pounds of cranberries a day. The total crop comes in at abou 2.8 million pounds. 

“I'll use a pun… this is the fruits of our labor. The crops are already on the ends of the vine so we have to take care of everything for another 365 days till next year's harvest season,” says Jim.

Nothing is too tart or bittersweet for the Bibles, providing a healthy product for the world is good for the soul.

The Bible Family of Wisconsin has been growing cranberries for Ocean Spray since 1981.