Sep 11, 2015

Tour teaches bloggers about tart cherry industry

As harvest winds down, this is a great opportunity for me to thank the many growers who helped with all of the tours this summer. Harvest is a busy time for cherry farmers across the country, and also a great time for us to teach people about the “Montmorency” cherry industry. It is always amazing to watch people learn about what it takes to grow a crop of cherries and how enthused they are with harvest. To watch talented operators’ harvest a tree within seconds is something very difficult to describe. You have to see it to believe it.

This year, we hosted a national blogger/media tour for 15 invited guests. They arrived in Traverse City, Michigan, on July 28, and went on tour the next day with a focus on the health benefit research that has been published to date. Many on the tour were nutritionists and were really interested in the science that is behind Montmorency cherries. The discussion was vigorous, and we knew we had a great group for this year’s tour.

We loaded a bus and headed to the Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center, where we demonstrated the new Littau over-the-row harvester that was harvesting the high-density block. Ron Perry and Dan Guyer gave our guests an overview of the project, and then we watched the harvester in action. Very impressive, to say the least! Nikki Rothwell talked about the station and the important role it plays for cherry growers. The passion, talent and commitment of the researchers and staff at the station made a huge impression on our guests.

Then it was off to Cherry Bay Orchards, where we met up with Don and Bob Gregory. Writers and consumers are looking for authentic experiences, and the passion and real life story of the cherry industry is a powerful message. Our industry has a great story to tell on this front. Much of the cherry industry remains family farming operations, and in some cases the farms have been in the family for multiple generations. We boarded a wagon for a drive through the orchards, which were still loaded with fruit. Once we located the harvester, every guest had a chance to harvest a tree. They were all able to feel the roar of the engine, the vibration of the shaker head, and all watched the cherries fall into the canvas. This experience was very special, and of course they all had to have pictures taken at the wheel of the shaker!

After pictures and a discussion on harvesting, it was off to lunch on top of a hill – a very special place overlooking the orchards and vineyards. It was a beautiful day with the sun out and a nice westerly breeze. We also invited a special guest for lunch: Chef Mario Batali. It was a surprise for everyone and made the event even more special. Mario was on vacation in the area and was willing to share some of his time to support the farmers in the cherry industry! The looks on their faces when he got out of his car were priceless!

Lunch was prepared by six women in the industry, including Ann Gregory, Kristie Somavilla, Diane Gregory, Judy LaCross, Nita Send and Kristie Altonen. It was a wonderful cherry-themed lunch, and each of the ladies talked about what they made and how they prepared it. The luncheon was one of the things the bloggers and media liked best. The experience was very special and authentic, and that is the story that writers are trying to capture.

The tour continued with a visit to Triple D Orchards, Cherry Republic’s salsa plant and the Cherry Republic store, where our guests were able to visit with Bob Sutherland and the Cherry Republic chef Tony Finnestad. Dinner was at the Culinary Institute, with a cooking demonstration that of course featured Montmorency cherries. Chef Eric at The Cooks’ House did a spectacular job of interacting with the media and making them all feel special.

When it was time to say goodbye, it was like saying goodbye to good friends. The investment made will pay huge dividends for the cherry industry in the months and years to come. Immediately following the tour, we had 96 social media posts (Instagram, Facebook and Twitter) reaching an audience of 1.7 million! Special thanks to all the people that helped make this a great event for the tart cherry industry!

— By Phil Korson, Cherry Marketing Institute