Wenatchee, WA: Harvest for Skylar Rae® cherries is finally underway, bringing the highly-anticipated sweet and crunchy bi-colored cherries back to the shelves for an impactful, profitable season. Sarah Barkley, Domestic Sales at CMI Orchards, says that the hype around this spectacular fruit is well-deserved, with demand showing no signs of stopping.
“Skylar Rae® cherries are special in so many ways,” says Barkley. “From their super sweet flavor and satisfying bite, to the remarkable story of their discovery, they’re really superstars on the shelves.”
While the orchards contended with a ‘flash bloom’—where all the flowers opened up and started their race for pollination at the same time—Barkley explains the near-perfect growing conditions in the Pacific Northwest produced Skylar Rae® cherries that are of the best eating quality and condition we could hope for.
Skylar Rae® cherries were first discovered in 2004 by the Toftness family, who found a tree unlike any other in their orchard after following a rainbow. It seemed this discovery, following the unimaginable loss of their infant daughter, could only be a gift from nature meant to honor their daughter and bring some light in the wake of their hardship.
Co-owner of the Skylar Rae® brand, and Tip Top cherry variety, Troy Toftness explains that these striking cherries continue to grow in popularity and volume, by specially chosen growers in the US, plus in Chile and Australia, with plans to extend in several other countries.
“Our mission when growing Skylar Rae® is to always put flavor first, which means letting the fruit ripen on the tree until it’s absolutely perfect. This lets the cherries soak up as much sunshine as possible and gives them the time they need to develop that signature Skylar Rae® flavor,” says Toftness. “This also means sometimes you get a really nice caramel glow on the cherries, which is a great indicator of the supreme sweetness of the fruit.”
About CMI Orchards:
CMI Orchards is one of Washington State’s largest growers, shippers and packers of premium quality conventional and organic apples, pears, and cherries. Based in Wenatchee, WA, CMI Orchards delivers outstanding fruit across the U.S.A. and exports to over 60 countries worldwide.
