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The Tart Cherry Industry
Pollination
All commercially-important sour cherry cultivars are self-fertile and
pollinator trees usually are not planted. Bees or other insects are
necessary, however, to insure good pollination. Growers typically
place bee hives in orchards during the bloom period to increase
insect activity and assure good fruit set.
A relatively short period of warm temperatures and intense bee
activity during pollen shed is usually adequate to assure a good
crop. However, prolonged periods of cool, wet weather during
blossoming diminish insect activity and may result in poor fruit set
due to inadequate pollination.
Location
Most tart cherries are grown in four states bordering the Great
Lakes--Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. These states
produce 85-95 percent of the U.S. crop in most years. Michigan is
the dominant producer, accounting for 70-80 percent of U.S. output.
Except in Pennsylvania, tart cherries in these states are located in
areas adjacent to one of the Great Lakes. The lakes moderate the
spring-time climate, reducing the chances of killing frosts when the
trees are in bloom. In Pennsylvania, tart cherries are grown on the
eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where good air drainage
helps protect blossoms against frost damage during the critical bloom
period.
Utah, Oregon, and Washington growers also produce tart cherries
commercially. In Utah, tart cherries are produced in areas adjacent
to the Great Salt Lake and Lake Utah. In Oregon, tart cherries are
produced in the Willamette Valley west of the Cascade mountains.
Washington's production is located in the Columbia River Basin in the
southeast central part of the state.
Farms with Tart Cherries
The U.S. Census of Agriculture reported 3,851 farms with 62,533 acres
of tart cherry trees in 1992 (Appendix table 1). These numbers
accounted for 347 fewer farms and 5,857 fewer acres than in 1987.
Only 2,472 farms, however, reported harvesting cherries in 1992, down
from 2,613 farms in 1987. Michigan accounted for 1,014 of the 2,472
farms harvesting cherries in 1992.
A vast majority of the farms with tart cherry trees are small
operations. Eighty-five percent had sales of $100,000 or less in
1987 (Appendix table 2). Sixty-seven percent had sales of less than
$25,000. Many of the smaller operations appear to produce a
combination of fruits and vegetables, and to sell directly to
consumers in local and regional markets.
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