Cranberry bog owners in the area are seeing red.

Last week, many farmers began pumping water into their fields and pumping berries out.

Like the harvest of so many other crops this year, cranberries have come in a week early, said Jim Rezendes at his Rochester bog.

As owner of Great Bear Farms, Rezendes tends 160 acres of cranberries in four towns.

“Last year was a good year for Massachusetts. I don’t think we’ll do as well this year,” he said, but predictions aren’t too bad.

The USDA’s cranberry forecast estimates that production will be down approximately one percent when compared to 2011.

The price per barrel won’t come out until June 2013, said Rezendes.

“They estimated the barrel price to be between $30 and $35 a barrel,” said Rezendes.

That can add up fast.

After a day of flooding the bog with water and loosening the berries, Rezendes said he and his team can fill a tractor trailer, which holds 500 barrels worth of berries, in 45 minutes.

Doug Beaton, owner of the East Sandwich-based cranberry growing company Beaton’s Inc., doesn’t mind the early start to the harvest either.

Beaton’s company owns more than 100 acres of bogs in Marion and manages another 17 acres for other area growers.

As one of the cranberry producers for Ocean Spray, Beaton said the early start puts his company ahead of the pack.

“We have a little incentive with Ocean Spray to have our cranberries in and be minimum color. That way we get a few extra dollars per barrel and it takes the heat off us in the beginning of October when most start harvesting,” Beaton said.

As for the forecast, Beaton said he isn’t too worried.

So far, his staff has completed roughly three percent of the harvesting and he added that things are looking good.

“We had a fantastic crop last year. This year’s crop is good. We’re Ocean Spray growers so they need cranberries to sell. Hopefully, they can get what they want, and we can get what we want,” Beaton said.

“I think the crop might not be as good as we think, but that’s OK because last year was amazing.”

And for at least the next month, Rezendes won’t have much time to speculate on his financial return.

He’ll be waist deep in bogs from Rochester to Freetown in addition to his full-time work as a contractor.

But, Rezendes says he doesn’t get too stressed during cranberry season, though he also doesn’t mind when it’s over.

“This is only my side job,” he said. “Once you’re done picking, it’s kind of nice.”