Photo courtesy of Northwest Cherry Growers
Take a look at this article I did for Growing Magazine on the cherry industry:
On the average, there are 7,000 cherries on each cherry tree; 250 cherries make one pie; each tree makes 28 pies. If the average U.S. consumer eats 1 pound annually, this adds up to approximately 260 million pounds annually. Americans demand cherries—and growers are filling those expectations.
Often referred to as America’s Super Fruit, cherries are rising in popularity due to the recent focus on health-promoting properties of antioxidants. Instead of relying on fruits from foreign markets, health and nutrition experts advise consumers to look for American-grown fruit. An alternative to exotic berries grown and marketed in a foreign rainforest, the cherry packs a lot of nutrition. Plus, it’s available year-round as dried, canned, frozen and in juice.
Carolyn Tomlin 