WENATCHEE, WA - As we leave the spookiest season of the year, many have had their thoughts consumed by creepy crawlies, ghouls, goblins, and everything in between. But perhaps you haven’t thought about one seasonal baddie that’s particularly close to our industry—the scarecrow. Well, Stemilt Grower’s Kyle Mathison is here to get you thinking in a new interview with CBS Sunday Morning, talking about the modern grower’s version of the scarecrow.
“We use bird cannons, reflective tape, stress calls—we want the birds to eat the neighbors' cherries, not ours,” Mathison tells CBS from the beautiful Wenatchee, Washington orchard, showing the news team what bird-damaged cherries look like. “It’s just a constant battle.”
The iconic orchard grower also showed CBS his cherry protecting falcon, used to scare away the area’s finches and robins, known mortal enemies of the fruit. The news report says that every year, birds devour at least $30 million worth of cherries every year, just in Washington State alone.
Want to learn more about the origins of the spooky scarecrow, and see even more bird scaring techniques from other growers? Check out the full CBS Sunday morning news piece above for one last dose of Halloween fun.
