Click on the question you are interested in to see the answer:
1.) Where can I buy the Products featured on this website? 2.) Why do I get directed to another website to make a Purchase? 3.) Do you have Product Demonstration Videos?
4.) When does Cherry Season begin?
5.) Where can I go Cherry picking?
6.) Are there Cherry Festivals near me?
7.) Can I grow Cherry Trees in my region?
8.) What are the Health Benefits of eating Cherries?
9.) How do I protect my Cherry tree from pesky garden birds?
10.) Where can I find unique and delicious recipes using Cherries?
11.) How do I make Cherry Wine?
12.) How can I preserve my Cherries?
1.) Where can I buy the Products featured on this Website?
All Cherry and Fruit Processing Equipment featured on this website can be securely purchased through www.home-food-processing.com. See our Contact Page for more information relating to our retail website.
2.) Why do I get directed to another website to make a Purchase?
This site is intended to primarily be a resource guide for Cherry Enthusiasts, while it does feature products that we both supply AND manufacture. We want people to be able to come here and see various pitters in action, discover new exciting recipes and find out everything you can about the incredible Cherry!
3.) Do you have Product Demonstration Videos?
YES. On the right side of the this Resources Page there is a widget with several Product Demonstrations. To find out more information about each product click on the Products link in the top toolbar, once in the Products Page simply click on the Product you are interested in learning more about.
4.) When does Cherry Season begin?
Cherry Season in the United States in the narrow window of late May to August (depending on region). Sweet Cherries tend to begin a bit early in May and continue to produce through August, while the Tart or Sour Cherry has a much shorter production cycle from Early June to July. In Europe the season starts slightly later into June and lasts til August. In Australia, the peak picking time for Cherries at Christmas time! The U.S. is second only to Turkey as the largest producer of Cherries with nearly 400 thousand metric tons annually, compared to the US's 250. Combining the European nations yields, they produce approximately 40% of the world's supply.
5.) Where can I go cherry picking?
Finding a U-Pick Cherry Farm used to be pretty difficult before the days of pointing-and-clicking. Now you can simply type your location into an online search engine with a few keywords (local cherry, pick cherry,,,etc) and probably find exactly what you are looking for. But, going through page after page of search results can be daunting. We found THE Best website for finding a Cherry Picking Location near you, simply click HERE to open a new window to PickYourOwn.org.
6.) Are there Cherry Festivals near me?
The most famous festival surrounding the Cherry is held annually in Traverse City, Michigan (the "Cherry Capital of the World"). The Traverse Bay Region in Michigan is the largest producer of sour (or 'tart') cherries in the United States (70%) and they honor their leadership status every year by making the World's Largest Cherry Pie! The Festival is held this year from July 2nd til the 9th, Click Here to learn more.
There currently is NO resource that compiles ALL Cherry based festivals across the U.S. But, we have compiled this substantial yet incomplete list of the upcoming Cherry Festivals of 2011:
March 4th - April 15th.
Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia. Lots of Japanese Cultural Events throughout, including Japan Night at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Tamagawa Taiko and Dance, Various Japanese Film Screenings, Japanese Cuisine Tutorials, Sushi Making Classes...etc. CLICK HERE for more info.
March 26th - 27th, 2011, 10am - 5pm (rain or shine)
Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival, Georgia International Horse Park, Conyers, Georgia. CLICK HERE for info.
February 5th (9am - 3pm) 2011
Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival. Kamuela, Waimea, Hawaii Island. CLICK HERE for to see a PDF file of the flyer.
March 18th - 27th, 2011
Macon, Georgia's International Cherry Blossom Festival, Macon, Georgia. CLICK HERE for info.
March 26th - April 10th, 2011
National Cherry Blossom Festival, The Tidal Basin, Washington, D.C. CLICK HERE for info.
March 26th, 2011 (10am)
3rd Annual Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival. Public Square, Nashville Tennessee. CLICK HERE for more information.
April 1st - 3rd, 2011
Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival, Festal 2011. Seattle Center House, Fisher Pavillion. CLICK HERE for more info.
April 2nd (10:30am - 6:30pm) & 3rd (10:30am - 5:00pm), 2011
10th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival of Southern California. Judge John Aiso St. @ 1st or Temple at Alameda. Los Angeles, California. CLICK HERE for a PDF File of the Official Flyer.
April 2nd, 2011 (11am - 3pm)
Virginia Beach Cherry Blossom Festival. CLICK HERE for more info.
April 6th - 9th, 2011
32nd Annual Northwest Cherry Festival, The Dalles, Oregon. CLICK HERE for more info.
April 9th - 10th, 17th, 2011
35th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Essex County, New Jersey. CLICK HERE for more information, including exact location.
April 9th - 10th, 16th -17th, 2011
Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. Japantown (Post St & Buchanan St.), San Francisco, California. CLICK HERE for more info.
April 16th (11am - 6:30pm) & 17th (11am - 6pm), 2011
14th Annual Monterey Park Cherry Blossom Festival. Barnes Park, Monterey Park, California. CLICK HERE for info.
April 29th - May 1st, 2011
Granger's Annual Cherry Festival. City Park (12pm Friday) & 11am Cherry Festival Parade starts behind Granger Middle School. Yakima, Washington.
April 30th - May 1st, 2011
Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival. With tons of Japanese Cultural events throughout. Brooklyn Botanical Garden, New York City, NY CLICK HERE for more info.
April 30th - May 1st, 2011 (10am - 5pm)
Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival. Memorial Park on Stevens Creek Boulevard (Across from De Anza College). CLICK HERE for more info.
May 14th, 2011, 10am - 4:00pm
Cherry Fest 2011 at Yellow Bay! Yellow Bay Clubhouse, Mile Marker 18, Route 35. CLICK HERE for more info.
May 28th -29th (9:30am - 4:30pm), 2011
C.J. Olson's Annual Cherry Festival @ The Stand. 348 W, El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, California 94087. CLICK HERE for more info.
March 19th (12pm - 6pm), 2011.
West Covina Cherry Blossom Festival. ESGV Japanese Community Center, 1203 W. Puente Ave, West Covina. CLICK HERE for more info.
June 2nd - 5th, 2011
Beaumont Cherry Festival. Stewart Park, Beaumont, California 92223. CLICK HERE for more info.
June 10th - 11th, 2011
White House Cherry Fest. Village Park, Downtown Whitehouse, Ohio. CLICK HERE for more info.
June 15th-18th, 2011
Emmett Cherry Festival. Emmett City Park, Emmett, Idaho. CLICK HERE for more information.
June 25th & 26th, 2011
Cobblestone Farm Winery 7th Annual Cherry Festival, Romulus, NY. CLICK HERE for more information.
July 2nd (10am - 4pm) 2011
38th Annual International Cherry Pit Spitting Championship. Tree-Mendous Fruit Farm. 9351 E. Eureka Rd., Eau Claire, MI 49111. CLICK HERE for more info.
July 9th, 2011
Niagara-on-the-Lake is hosting their annual Cherry Festival at St. Mark's Church, Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, CANADA. CLICK HERE for more information.
July 12th - 16th, 2011
North East Firemen's Cherry Festival. 40 North Lake St., North East, Pennsylvania 16428 CLICK HERE for more information about this event.
July 16th (9am-6pm) & 17th (10am-4pm), 2011
Polson Cherry Festival. Cherry Quilt Contest, Cherry Spitting Contest, Stem Tying...etc! CLICK HERE for more info.
November 17th - 19th, 2011
Ficksburg Cherry Festival. Longest running annual crop celebration in South Africa! CLICK HERE for more information.
7.) Can I grow Cherry Trees in my region?
Cherries can be grown in Hardiness Zones 4 through 8. Click Here to view a map designating all the Hardiness Zones in the U.S. The Cherry Tree needs a cooling off period during Winter months, so climates that are arid and warm/hot in the wintertime will not be suitable for Cherry growth. Also, a 2-3 month hot summer is ideal with the Cherry planted in Full-Sun. The soil in the area being planted needs to be in the range of 6.2 and 6.8pH acidity level and be well-drained, with the water level at least 3 feet down.
Selecting the Cherry Tree is also a matter of personal preference:
For Aesthetics:
If you are particularly appreciative of the beautiful blossom of Cherry Trees and the fruit are a secondary priority (like a bonus) then the best type is the Autumn Cherry Tree, which has magnificent blooms twice per year (Spring and Fall). Ornamental Cherry Trees or Blossoms are also considered good luck by traditional Japanese culture, making them a popular object of artistic expression.
Another wonderfully majestic flowering/ornamental Cherry tree is the gorgeous Japanese Kwanzan Cherry Tree, with thick and bright double-pink blossoms, it is a very desirable yard tree.
Good things also come in small packages: a thin and cheerful looking Cherry tree is the Yoshino Cherry, which is ideal for lining the side of a driveway, fence or land border.
Last but not least is the newest addition to the family of Cherry Trees... The Weeping Cherry. This is a very curious combination of Cherry Blossoms with the colossal growth of a Weeping Willow. A truly incredible sight from close or afar, for photographing from a distance or reading a book under its shade, listening to the quiet rustling of the blossoms and enjoying the intoxicating aromas from the imperial Cherry Blossoms...
Remember that these trees are also a great investment! Showing your property has naturally appealing trees like these brings up your property value.
For Fruit: Now if the only purpose for buying a Cherry Tree is for those precious Cherries and the aesthetics of the tree are a mere bonus then these are the trees you want to start looking into (depending on your Hardiness Region). But first it's important to decide on what kind of Cherries you enjoy eating, whether you prefer the Sweet Cherry (aka Wild Cherry) or Sour Cherry (aka Tart Cherry). As a general rule you will need to plant more than one Cherry Tree (unless you plant Montmorency) in close proximity to another Cherry Tree because Cherry Trees are not typically self-pollinating,
Sweet Cherries (Wild):
The Pacific Northwest has absolutely the most delicious Sweet Cherries, the climate in states like Washington provide a short and wet summer that produce these little marvels. Bing Cherries are a large and sweet variety, perfect for Cherry Snacks and pastry fillings, cookies, salads, toppings for cheesecakes or cobblers. They are less vibrantly red than the tart variety with a more dark skin. But have a fairly firm flesh and the larger size makes for some good "bang-for-buck" raw snacking. Rainer Cherries have a wonderdully curious yellow color when they receive a lot of sunshine and add a nice colorful alternative without compromising the taste of your recipe (actually they are extra sweet)! Rainers are also very expensive to purchase, making them a very tempting home-grown Cherry Lambert Cherries are another delicious, firm cherries with deep-red skins that are great for eating straight as a snack, made into sauces and desserts. They are typically grown in Washington, Oregon and California. Other Sweet Cherries include Brooks, Tulare, King, Tartarian, and Royal Ann.
Sour Cherries (Tart): These are the perfect Cherries for pies, preserves and are typically used with sugar in cooking to balance the sourly flavor. The reigning champion in this category is 'hands-down' the Montmorency Cherry, making up 95% of the Tart supply in North America. Grown primarily in Michigan, New York and Utah, this variety can withstand colder winters and shorter summers than their Sweet counterparts. Other less prominent Sour Cherries include Morello, a vareity called Early Richmond, Nanking and Evans. For the long list of health benefits of this cherry, read Question # 8 Below.
CLICK HERE - FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON PLANTING A CHERRY TREE
*The above link opens a New Window to an eHow Article on planting Montmorency Cherry Trees.
8.) What are the Health Benefits / Uses of eating Cherries?
This topic surely deserves its own webpage but we're going to try and break down the benefits of eating cherries into a bullet-point style list:
- It has been used by Native Americans as a pain reliever, for sore throats and an infusion of a sour cherry bark to treat laryngitis.
- The Ojibwa crushed the root and made a infused tea to help their tribesman with stomach pain.
- It was also used by the Natives as a general health tonic.
- Montmorency Cherries themselves have been recently linked to arthritis pain relief (eating 20 per day), as well as relief from pain associated with gout. The general use of Cherries as pain relievers has continuously grown in the scientific community.
- Many people who have trouble sleeping have noted that 100% cherry juice to help with their sleeping disorders, with the active ingredient Melatonin.
- Headache sufferers also have links the drinking of Cherry Juice to alleviation of headache symptoms.
- Raw Cherries are Sodium-Free, Saturated Fat-Free and Cholesterol-Free... and high in Vitamin C and Potassium!
- Cherries are a major source of Melatonin, which is responsible from expelling toxins from our bodies and boosting our immune system.
- Cherries also have a very high antioxidant content which is linked to both good all around health as well as fighting Cancer and other cardiac problems.
- They make you look young! Those same antioxidants that fight Free-radicals, which increase physical signs of aging, are vigorously attacked by this super-fruit.
- Drinking Tart Cherry juice can significantly lower Urate levels which are linked to Gout.
- Cherry juice is also an effective supplemental tool against muscle and back pain.
- Forsyth Dental Center conducted a study which found that black cherry juice blocked 89% of the enzyme activity that leads to plaque formation.
- Anthocyanin, a fruit pigment that makes Cherries "Cherry Red" is also beneficial to your body in reducing any kind of inflammation, preventing arterioscleriosis, lowering cholesterol, and reduces the risk of blood clots.
- 3.5 oz of Cherries only contains 58 Calories.
- Lycopene, an active ingredient in Tomatoes which reduces your risk of a heart attack is also in the Cherry.
- While not unique to the Cherry, all fruits are good sources of Fiber which make them good to enhance your heart-health while being a gentle diuretic, helping your gastro-intestinal system.
- Cherries rank low on the glycemic index so while they are a great snack, they also help maintain their blood sugar in check.
- To See the Spectacular Nutritional Facts and a very detailed look at how much of EVERTHING is in just one cup of Sweet Cherries, CLICK HERE. For Sour (Tart) CherriesCLICK HERE. Remember that nearly all the calories from fruits come from the naturally produced carbohydrates primarily fructose.
**IF this long list of benefits isn't enough to get excited about Cherry Season,,, nothing is.
9.) How do I protect my Cherry Tree from Pesky Garden Birds?
While the quick fix is to throw garden protective netting over the budding tree. Garden birds will sure enough get their feet caught in the netting and will die slowly and painfully. There are many humane methods of repelling Some easy steps you can take to repel those Cherry-Eating Monsters:
1.) Lightly wrinkle up some strips of aluminum foil and hang them within the foliage of the tree. The reflection of the sun will frighten away the birds by brightly shining light on them. The aluminum foil will create a sort of 'disco-ball effect' to scare away multiple birds and also the movement of the foil will also work to deter birds.
2.) There are Owls you can buy from garden stores or online that act as a deterrent by looking menacing to most small garden birds. Some even have sensors and move sudden movements when something comes nearby!
3.) Diluting Hot Peppers in water for several hours, then spray the spicy agua onto the leaves of the tree. This one is best as a last resort because of so many dangers of Spraying Spicy Water in the open, where one gust of wind and your eyes are in trouble. Instead of Cayenne Pepper, you can also try bitter vegetables like onions or garlic in a water solution to spray, the taste/smell is very unappealing to garden variety birds with 'sweet-tooths'..
4.) Birds, like most animals are also afraid of noises they perceive to be threatening. So of course there are audio repellents that are available on the market, but they are annoying and can also repell future dinner guests. Enter, the Ultra-Sonic Repellent. These products emit an audio signal at a frequency that our ears can't register but, it bothers animals (especially birds). The Ultra-Sonic units appear to be quite effective and relatively inexpensive ($50 on Amazon.com) BUT, beware of its affect on small animals like Dogs, Cats...etc and some may be heard (apparently product flaws exists with this one...).
5.) A pretty innovative products available is a solar powered fan. Except instead of the fan blades pushing air, they softly tap branches of Cherry trees to cause a stir and frighten would-be snacking birds.
10.) Where can I find Unique and Delicious Recipes with Cherries?
Right Here! We are in the process collecting and uploading tons of awesomely delicious recipes using various kinds of Cherries. Everything from Cherry Cobbler, Cherry Wine and of course a few Cherry Pie recipes! The Recipes Page currently has only a few recipes, be patient and it will soon blossom into a large database of recipes for everything Cherries. We are taking user sent recipes (of course giving the sender credit) and posting them too... If you have a great recipe that you would like to share with the Cherry Community, please don't hesitate to send us an email HERE.
11.) How do I make Cherry Wine?
A delicious Cherry Wine How-To Guide is available on our Recipes Page. It's easy to do and Cherry Wine is absolutely delicious. We are going to be adding several liqueurs, liquors, cordials, and wines made from the SuperFood, the incredible Cherry, very soon so stay check back!
12.) How can I preserve my Cherries?
Cherries can be preserved in the following ways:
1.) They can be Dehydrated. Placing the de-stemmed, unpitted cherries on sheets and sliding them into a quality Dehydrator for 10-12 Hours on 135F will remove enough of the air to reduce bacterial spoilage for extended period of time. Of course, this is not a long term shelf-life extender, they will still need to be either store in a food safe container and preferably refrigerated to make them last as long as possible.
2.) Cherries can also be frozen, in vacuum seal bags or Ziploc bags. Its recommend that you first partially freeze the Cherries... THEN vacuum seal them, this will prevent the pressure from the vacuum sealer from squeezing the juices out of the Cherries.
3.) Canning is another option to storing/preserving your Cherry bounty. A wonderful Step-by-Step guide has been created and uploaded by the wonderful resource - PickYourOwn.org. CLICK HERE to a direct link to the "How to Can Cherries" Page.
