Some cool stuff I learned about cherries:
- In order to grow a healthy, fruitful cherry tree, you must cross pollinate each tree with a cherry tree of another variety. So, if you're planning to plant a cherry tree in your back yard, plant two.
- In Japan, consumers pay as much as $1 PER CHERRY? Crazy, huh!? No wonder the bulk of the Californian cherry crop is shipped to Asia!
- Cherries are graded based on sugar content. The more sugar, the higher the quality; the higher the quality, the more money the cherry is worth. So basically, sugar = money.
- A cherry isn't just a cherry. There are early producers and late producers, sweet and tart, soft and firm, dark and white.
Here are some photos from our field trip (technically, this was an orchard trip, but you know what I mean). . .
Caleb and I were so excited for our outing that we waitedon the front steps for Daddy to pick us up.
As you can see, Caleb could hardly contain his joy.
Paul with Caleb, Josh and Yvette displaying the loot off the first variety of tree. The dark leafed trees on the left are Bing Cherries.
The light colored trees on the right are Walnut Trees.
I was allowed to climb the ladder, as long as I promised not to fall off!
Josh regretted volunteering to pick Black Tarts for me. Every time he thought he was done, I kept saying, "MORE!"
Life is like a bowl of cherries!(the dark cherries are Black Tarts, the bright red are Bings, and the light pink are Rainiers)
6 comments:
That was great fun!
This was a great post -- I loved reading it and seeing the pictures!
By the way, how in the world would you cross-pollinate a TREE? I'm so un-scientifically minded that I have no idea what this means...but I'm curious! :)
Christianne,
I'm sure you've heard the saying "busy as a bee." Well, there is a reason for that. . . they are the farmer's best friend when it comes to pollinating the trees during spring time. In an orchard of a particular variety, Paul's dad plants a "pollinator" tree every 5th tree or so. During the spring, the trees put out the most beautiful blossoms. That's when the farmer hires bees! There are local bee-keepers who maintain hives of bees all year so that during the spring, the local farmers can "rent" hives and transport them into the middle of their orchards. The bees are let loose to frolic in the fields =) They grab pollen off the blooms from the pollinator trees and transport that pollen to the blossoms of the neighboring trees. I'm not sure why exactly it is that the trees produce more fruit when they are pollinated from a different variety of tree, but apparently, the difference is huge and the quality of fruit is much better, too. So, whatever the reason, I'm glad the farmers have figured it out and use it to give us such delicious fruit!
What fun!! I LOVE cherries - we get a decent crop up here in the NW too, although I've never been out to pick them like you. I loved seeing the pic of you & Caleb together, waiting on the steps. Too, too cute!!
That was a great explanation, Bec. Thank you! Though now I am wondering just how the bees know which trees to go to -- which are the designator "pollinator" trees. I wonder if Paul does something different with them that makes them obvious to the bees...
When I was in IN., 2 lbs of cherries was $10.99. I thought to myself, lucky for us when a family member has a cherry tree. :)
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