Post Harvest Update 2025
- Mary Weber
- Oct 3
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 7
First a big thank you to everyone that ordered cherries this year! ~Check out the harvest videos below~
We hope you enjoyed them and had enough left to freeze to eat year round. I would love to receive your favorite cherry recipes, or reports if you made the cherry chocolate sauce ~ there is a new recipe at the end of the post, too.
The cherry trees really produced this year after last year's zero harvest, and they were beautiful cherries. However we had a wind storm that damaged our Rainier Cherries, which usually go to the national fruit market, and then two days of rain (at the wrong time) that damaged our Lambert cherries. Luckily this happened after we picked for your cherry orders. This meant unfortunately we had to shut down ordering very early in the season.
The Lapin Cherries, our market red cherries, faired much better and they were harvested and sent to market. Here are some scenes from the picking:
A local business, The Rancher's Daughter, stocked our cherries this year. Definitely visit their store if you're in the area! Next year we think we will open up the orchard for U-Pick, have a road side stand on weekends, and begin visiting a few farmers markets.
SOUR CHERRY PICKLES
A friend gave us a jar of these and I had to get the recipe. They are usually made with sour (or pie cherries) but I did make them with regular red cherries. Talk about a pop of flavor! These are great with a charcuterie board or on salads, but I think it would make a wonderful relish for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners, too.
Check out the recipe below, and we want to once again thank all of our cherry eaters who ordered this year~
You Are Much Appreciated!!
1
Searing the Beef
Sear beef fillets on high heat for 2 minutes per side to form a golden crust. Let it cool before proceeding to keep the beef tender.
2
Mushroom Duxelles
Cook the mushrooms until all moisture evaporates to prevent soggy pastry. Aim for a thick, paste-like consistency.
3
Puff Pastry Handling
Keep the puff pastry cold to avoid softness. Chill if it becomes too soft, and score the top lightly without cutting through.
Notes
1
In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Revove the pan from the heat and add the peppercorns and 1 rosemary spring.
2
Set a fine mesh colander over the pan, pit the cherries, add the fruit into the colander, and let the juice drain into the brine (see Tip below). Once it stops dripping, stir to combine and set the cherries aside. Let the mixture infuse for about 30 minutes, until it has cooled to room temperature.
3
In a clean wide-mouth jar, pack the cherries, adding the remaining rosemary sprig down one side. Remove the spent rosemary sprig from the brine, then ladle the brine over the cherries so that they are submerged but the brine is about 1/2 inch from the jar's rim. Screw on a non-reactive lid and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating.
They will keep for weeks in the refrigerator.
4
Tip: Draining the juice into the brine captures the maximum cherry flavor, but it can thicken the brine and might shorten the pickle's storage life, particularly if you substitute sweet charries.
Instructions
1/3 cup apple cieer vinegar (5% acidity)
1/3 cup water
2 Tbs brown sugar
1/4 Tsp Morton Pickling Salt
1 Tsp black peppercorns
2 rosemary sprigs (or 2 Tbs leaves) divided
3/4 lb whole sour cherries pitted (2 1/3 cup)
Mixture
Sour Cherry Pickles
From a Friend's Friend
Sweet and Tangy! Pair with charcuterie and salads, or as a side dish.
Servings :
1 Pint
Calories:
Prep Time
20 min
Cooking Time
10 min
Rest Time
30 min
Total Time
1 hour
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