CBS Shines Spotlight on a Secret to Success for Wenatchee Cherry Growers

The entire country is currently enjoying the signature summer treat--sweet cherries.  Washington state is the largest producer of fresh sweet cherries and the best of the best are grown in the Wenatchee Valley.

It was refreshing to see and I admit feeling proud that CBS Sunday Morning did a segment on one of the secrets to success for Wenatchee area cherry growers.  The report showed how farmers dry the delicate fruit still ripening on the tree.  It can be a do or die situation to save the crop from damaging rains.`

After surviving the threat of damaging hail storms, pests, disease and hungry birds,  a rainstorm can ruin the delicate fruit by splitting it.  CBS Sunday Morning traveled to Wenatchee to tour a Stemilt Growers cherry orchard with Kyle Mathison and get a closer look at the operation and Mathison's secret weapon to protect his cherries.

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Correspondent Connor Knighton sat down with Ryan McDonald, the owner and a pilot with North Wind Aviation.  McDonald explained how there is a window of just a few hours to dry off cherries after a rainfall.  He grew up on a cherry orchard and his company's helicopters are hired by growers like Mathison to fly over an orchard after it rains and "blow dry" the fruit before the cherries absorb too much water and split.

In this day of the farm to table movement, it is interesting to see what goes on behind the scene to get a product to market.  Kudos to CBS Sunday Morning for showing consumers some of what goes into getting the best fresh cherries in the world into their homes.

Check Out CBS Sunday Morning's July 13th, 2025 report: The Secret to a Succefull Cherry Crop--Helicopters