CBS Sunday Morning Spotlights Stemilt’s Cherry Protection Method
July 17, 2025 | 1 min to read
WENATCHEE, Wash. – Stemilt recently welcomed a crew from CBS Sunday Morning for a behind-the-scenes look at a method one might not expect to be used for protecting cherry trees from rain during the summer.
The segment features Stemilt owner and fourth-generation cherry grower, Kyle Mathison, who explains how cherries can become waterlogged and prone to splitting if rain falls during the fruit’s maturation.
CBS also spoke with Ryan McDonald, owner of North Wind Aviation, who is on standby for Stemilt, to hear how the process is done. The effort to protect cherry quality involves flying a helicopter low over cherry orchards to blow water off the fruit.
Watch the full video here!
About Stemilt
Stemilt is a family-owned grower, packer, and shipper of tree fruit. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt’s mission is to cultivate people and delight consumers with its World Famous Fruits. Stemilt is a leader in sweet cherries and organic tree fruits, and a key supplier of apples and pears. The company stewards an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible business through its Responsible Choice® program, which has been in place since 1989. For more information about Stemilt, visit www.stemilt.com