THE ART & SCIENCE OF CHERRIES

Cherries are Nature’s works of art. But everything from growing, to harvesting, to getting them to market, is part art -- part science.

The best cherry farmers have learned the best cultivars to plant, the best ways to grow the best crops, the best ways to protect the fruit until it’s harvested,  the best ways to harvest, and the best ways to make sure these juicy jewels reach your taste buds in peak form and flavor.

All cherries belong to the genus Prunus. There are over 250 cultivars, divided into sweet and sour camps (Prunus avium and Prunus cerasus, respectively). They do not cross-pollinate. They each have their own cultivation needs and proclivities.

Every year, over 2.25 million tonnes of sweet cherries and over 1.4 million tonnes of sour cherries are produced. Russia, Turkey, Iran, Spain, Poland, and the US are top producers. In the US, most sweet cherries are grown in Washington State, while most sour cherries are grown in northern Michigan.

Cherries originated in Europe and western Asia. Cherry seeds require exposure to cold to germinate. In 3 to 4 years, the new tree produces its first crop of fruit, but it takes 7 to attain full maturity.

Cherries have a short growing season -- just 90 days. They blossom in April (in the Northern Hemisphere). Harvest happens usually within a one-month window, from June to mid-August, depending on northern latitude. The Southern Hemisphere mirrors this schedule in their spring and summer months.

While there are wild cherries that need no human assistance to flourish, cultivated cherries need TLC. They are finicky, delicate, and vulnerable. A little too much wind and rain can ruin a crop. Hail spells disaster.

Birds love cherries too, so it’s tricky to protect cherries from pilferage. Clever cherry farmers outwit the threats. To foil bird burglars, some farmers employ raptors to guard the crops. Others play recordings of predatory bird sounds in their orchards. Netting is also used to keep birds from eating the prize fruit.

Rain-drenched cherries tend to crack. So, some farmers protect their cherry trees from the rain with large panels, irrigating the fruit from below the tree canopies to keep the precious fruits dry.

Some farmers keep protective trellises around their trees to help protect them from harsh winds. Some employ ladybugs to keep destructive pests away.

The best way to harvest cherries is to carefully pick them by hand to avoid damaging both the fruit and the tree.

How can you get the best cherries at the market? Look for smooth blemish-free orbs, with beautiful color -- ranging from bright to dark red, or golden, depending on variety. Look for fresh green stems, although dry stems will do if the fruit itself looks healthy.  

Don’t wash cherries before storing them. And store them in the fridge.

If you can’t find fresh cherries, frozen cherries can stand in for many recipes. And check out all of the preserved cherries and cherry condiments at American Spoon. They are divine.

Read more about Beautiful Cherry Red in Take A Beautiful Cherry Trip, Cherries Rock Your Body, Cherry Red Inspirations, and Beautiful Unexpected Cherry Blossom Trips.

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Mind/Body, Soul/Impact, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Arts/Design, and Place/Time, Daily Fix posts.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Andrea Johnson. “Holding a pair of cherries.” Courtesy of Oregon Department of Agriculture.
2. Image: by Andrea Johnson. “Cherry trees.” Courtesy of Oregon Department of Agriculture.
3. Image: by mornarsamotarsky. “Prunus avium.”
4. Image: by Kit. “Cherries.”
5. Image: by hedera.baltica. “Cherry picker.”
6. Image: by Liliana Usvat. Cherries on the tree.
7. Image: by congerdesign. Cherries in a basket.
8. Image: by Böhringer Friedrich. “Sour Cherries (Prunus cerasus).
9. Image: Cherries on the tree.
10. Image: by Justin Henry. “Harvest.”
11. Image: by VA-Wolf. “Cherry Tree.”
12. Image: Richard Ellis. “Cherry harvest.”