HOOD RIVER, OR - Winter’s grasp is still holding on as we count the final days till spring. As we experienced intense winter storms here in California, I turned over to Oregon to see how Hood River Cherry Company (HRCC) is faring during this time.
“We are currently in the dormant/winter season, which makes right now the best time to prune cherries. Leaf foliage has dropped, and it is the perfect time for us to perform maintenance by hand-cutting limbs,” Kristoff Fowler in Operations commented. “While dormant, pruning allows us to invigorate the trees and manage the coming season’s crop load.”
Grown at the base of Mt. Hood in Oregon, the cherry tree varieties in Hood River Valley are best suited for the cold climate. Low temperatures at night make for a sweeter cherry that consumers love and look forward to.
“Our high-elevation, tree-ripened cherries are the sweetest, best-tasting cherries in the industry, such as Sweetheart, Regina, Lapin, Bing, Rainier, and Skeena,” Tony Guisto, Sales, shared. “We have a spectacular-looking and abundant crop of cherry buds in our trees and are happy to say this could be our best crop to date. Last year’s low yield has set our young trees up for an exceptional growing season.”
With weather always a factor, HRCC and the Hood River Valley have seen many snowstorms this year. However, the storms will not affect the taste and quality of these beautiful gems. The longer it snows, the later the cherries develop, which in turn means a longer harvest window for HRCC’s customers.
“Due to the later snowstorms, our projected 2023 cherry crop is on track to be record-setting not only for us but for many other growers in the Pacific Northwest,” continued Kristoff. “In addition to our fresh offerings, consumers will be excited to enjoy our cherries year-round with our line of cherry preserves.”
The line includes cherry spread, jam, chutney, and salsa. HRCC hopes to spread the love for cherry preserves to its customer base, and this consumer is already jazzed to dive into the delicious range.
As the cherries continue to develop through spring, keep a close eye on ANUK to cover more updates in the category and industry.
