Cherry Harvest Update Pt 2
With today’s Fruit Grower Report, I’m Bob Larson. Cherry harvest is well underway here in the Northwest as crews prepare for the record high temps expected in many areas.
BJ Thurlby, Northwest Cherry Grower’s president, says the weather is a challenge, but with the longer-than usual California cherry harvest just ending, getting labor here for our harvest hasn’t been easy …
THURLBY … “We haven’t seen them yet. So, we definitely could use some more labor in this neck of the woods and we’re still hoping that, you know, a normal step up from California up to the Northwest is underway, but you know, again, they just finished harvesting so we’re not seeing a big influx of labor yet.”
But, Thurlby says the cherries are looking good …
THURLBY … “So far, it’s been a good harvest. You know, we’re through our early varieties in all of our districts, so we’re starting in on Bings.”
So for now, Thurlby says Bings are the focus …
THURLBY … “The Bing harvest, it’s going full blast from the Tri-Cities region all the way, really, up to Yakima at this point. So, we’re picking Bings and it’ll just continue to be kind of the Bing harvest here for the next two, two-and-a-half weeks.”
But, Thurlby says, don’t forget …
THURLBY … “Also, we’re growing this year, of course, as always, those yellow cherries. We call them Rainiers. We’re just getting into the Rainier harvest right now and that’s happening, more or less, down in the Tri-Cities, but the Rainiers look amazing.”
Thurlby says prices for all cherries should be consumer friendly over the Fourth of July holiday.
