YAKIMA, WA – With the last day of July upon us, Dave Gleason has once again graced the industry with his take on Domex Superfresh Growers’ bountiful crops coming out of the Pacific Northwest. The company is coming off of a record cherry crop and preparing for excellent season for apples and pears.
“We love what we are doing. The summer cherry harvest has really been smiling on us, and fruit has been progressing nicely. The sugar is great, the flavor is excellent, and we like what we are picking,” Gleason says, with his signature stonefruit wisdom.
Superfresh saw ideal growing conditions for this year’s cherries, according to a press release. The fortuitous growing season has made for large fruit, setting a record cherry crop this summer. The company says that this year’s crop will extend into late August, providing retailers with great opportunity to generate sales.
In his latest orchard update video, Gleason walks viewers through one of the high-elevation cherry blocks in Selah, WA. Seasons like these, he says, are a favored time of cherry pickers, as pay is high and the majority of picking is done during the cooler part of the day–in the morning. The day starts early in the morning and finishes around lunchtime, to ensure only the sweetest, firmest, and most delicious Superfresh cherries are provided.
“In these late summer days, we are careful with the hot temperatures,” Gleason continues. “We organize our picking and packing in a way that we get the cherries off the tree, into the bin quickly, and into refrigeration as soon as possible. We understand if the fruit warms up, it will soften and affect the condition.”
As the cherry crop wraps up, apple and pear season will take off. The company expects its earliest harvest dates to hit in mid- to late-August, and ramp up in September. Superfresh expects an excellent and large crop for its organic apples and pears.
The company noted that a cool spring slowed cell-division for its apple and pears, resulting in smaller fruit for this year. For both organic and convetional, apple and pear sizing will be down from previous years, making an ideal harvest for pouch bags, self-merchandising, and providing easy-grab options for busy shoppers.
Want to get a peek of Superfresh’s sun-dappled orchards yourselves? Watch Dave’s video above.
