Red Tart Cherry History
The red tart cherry, Prunus cerasus, is a perennial tree fruit related to the plum, peach, apricot, almond, and numerous other species of the northern temperate zone. It is grown commercially for its tart and juicy fruit, which is primarily used in baking and cooking. Fully ripened tart cherries may be eaten raw, but are too acidic for many palates. The raw fruit stores poorly and its shelf life is too short for the fresh market trade.
Cherries have pleased the palates of food lovers for centuries. Their ruby red color and tangy taste won cherries a place on the tables of Roman conquerors, Greek citizens, and Chinese noblemen. Cherries were brought to America by ship with early settlers in the 1600s.
Later, French colonists from Normandy brought pits that they planted along the Saint Lawrence River and into the Great Lakes area. Cherry trees were part of the gardens of French settlers as they established such cities as Detroit, Vincennes, and other midwestern settlements.
In 1852, Peter Dougherty planted cherry trees on Old Mission Peninsula (near Traverse City, Michigan). Much to the surprise of the other farmers and Indians who lived in the area, Dougherty's cherry trees flourished. The area proved to be ideal for growing cherries because Lake Michigan tempers Arctic winds in winter and cools the orchards in summer.
The first commercial tart cherry orchards in Michigan were planted in 1893 on Ridgewood Farm near the site of Dougherty's original plantings. By the early 1900s, the tart cherry industry was firmly established in the state. The Montmorency is the primary variety of tart cherry. It was planted in the early orchards and is still used today.
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.
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.
The
year-to-year variation in tart cherry output is significant, with U.S.
production ranging from 190 million pounds to 396 million pounds between
1985 and 1995. Since Michigan dominates the domestic industry, the United States
output rises and falls with variations in
Michigan 's output.
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