February is National Cherry Month! This health-promoting red fruit is produced primarily in Door County, Wisconsin. No fruit is more identified with Door County than the cherry; it’s dainty and unique, and too intoxicating to resist.
Cherry production in Wisconsin
In 1896, Hatch & Goff professors of horticulture began planting cherries on lands north of Sturgeon Bay. One by one, recent orchards were planted north of the Door Peninsula by people who believed in Door County’s suitability for growing the fruit. By 1909, the generous cherry harvest had attracted national attention, and a boom in orchard growing began.
Many farms have started planting hundreds of acres. Sturgeon Bay Orchard & Nursery Company was the first immense cherry farm to call the area home. Years later, over 3,200 acres of cherry trees were planted. Until 1917, the crops were transported to the fair in approximately 230 wagons.
Predicting that there would be a immense cherry harvest in 1919, pickers were hired and brought in by train and steamboat. Thanks to the Fruit Growers Canning Company, larger quantities of cherries could be processed in one day. As the cherry trees grew to over 10,000 acres, maintaining a immense enough labor force became a challenge. The Peninsula Station, together with the Department of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Warsaw, started an energetic program to develop a mechanical cherry harvester.
Currently, a mechanical cherry shaker can harvest 60-100 trees in an hour. Once shaken, the cherries are immediately chilled in chilled water to maintain freshness. Some are sweetened or left unsweetened and then frozen to preserve the unique quality of the Wisconsin red cherry tart.
Most cherries grown in Wisconsin are tart cherries because they are hardy enough to survive Wisconsin’s cool winters. Cherry tarts are rarely eaten fresh, instead being added to cakes and jams. When choosing cherries, look for ones that are immense, firm and have an even, deep red color.
Health benefits
The health benefits of sour cherries include preventing heart disease and cancer, improving sleep, and more. Ongoing research has shown that eating these sour cherries daily can potentially reduce pain associated with arthritis and gout. Moreover, the significant levels of melatonin in these tart cherries improve sleep and wakefulness during the day and act as an antioxidant. Cherries destroy free radicals in the body that cause cancer and other diseases. There is no better way to maintain a vigorous lifestyle than eating this tasty fruit.
Cherries are known for their heart health benefits, especially being low in calories, high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and nutrients. This long-stemmed fruit also provides potassium, magnesium and calcium. Cherries are a prosperous source of antioxidants that assist fight stress, chronic disease and premature aging. Additionally, cherries effectively reduce inflammation and support overall health.
Importance to Wisconsin
Door County’s cooler spring months and unique soil composition make it an ideal place to grow cherries. The county’s first farmers took notice and established some of the earliest and largest fruit orchards in the state. Some of the county’s biggest names – such as Seaquist, Lautenbach and Zettel – started in a humble cherry grove, eventually making the words “Door County” synonymous with “cherry trees.”
Cherries not only played a immense role in Door County’s economy, but also expanded the local culture, attracting workers from far and wide, including: from Texas, Mexico, Jamaica and Haiti. The workers arrived during the busy harvest season and brought their cuisine and language with them to share with residents and workers.
Technological advances eventually made picking easier and there was no longer a need for an influx of workers, but memories of these early experiences still live on in stories and culture. Nowadays, tourists and locals alike love to make cherry picking an annual tradition with many local orchards offering “pick your own” buckets.
Join the celebration this month and take part in the many ways to incorporate more cherries into your life!
