Cherry production in Michigan is a major part of the agriculture industry in the state. Harvesting over 90,000 tons of cherries each year, Michigan is the nation's leading producer of tart cherries. The Montmorency cherry is the variety of tart, or sour, cherry most commonly grown in the state. A Hungarian sour cherry cultivar, Balaton, has been commercially produced in Michigan since 1998. Michigan's cherry industry is highly vulnerable to a late spring frost, which can wipe out a season's harvest. This occurred most recently in 2012, when over 90% of the crop was lost. The

Fruit Belt Fruit Belt is a term in the United States for an area where the microclimate provides good conditions for fruit growing. Fruit Belts are prominent around the North America, North American Great Lakes region, notably West Michigan (Fruit Ridge (M ...

(also called the Fruit Ridge) of

western Michigan West Michigan and Western Michigan are terms for a region in the U.S. state of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Generally, it refers to the Grand Rapids- Muskegon-Holland area, and more broadly to most of the region along the Lower Peninsula's Lake ...

, and, in particular, the

Grand Traverse Bay Grand Traverse Bay ( ) is an arm of Lake Michigan, located along the west coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The bay is separated from the rest of Lake Michigan by the Leelanau Peninsula. The bay is some long, ranges from wide, and up ...

region, produce most of the state's cherries. In addition, Traverse City hosts the

National Cherry Festival The National Cherry Festival is a food festival held annually in Traverse City, Michigan, United States. The eight-day festival celebrates cherry production in the Grand Traverse Bay region surrounding Traverse City, which is nicknamed the ...

each July.

History

The first cherry trees were planted in Michigan in 1852 by

The Reverend The Reverend (abbreviated as The Revd, The Rev'd or The Rev) is an honorific style (form of address), style given to certain (primarily Western Christian, Western) Christian clergy and Christian minister, ministers. There are sometimes differen ...

Peter Dougherty, who in 1839 established a Presbyterian mission at present-day Old Mission. In 1893, the first commercial orchard was established on the

Old Mission Peninsula Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, M ...

, north of Traverse City.

References

Agriculture in Michigan Cuisine of Michigan Northern Michigan Sour cherries West Michigan {{Michigan-stub

History

See also

References