thats a great story! because of Kerrs efforts i can grow 3 of these cold hardy cherries here in n. maine z3b. the other types out there before were only marginally cold hardy to my area and only nankings were truly hardy here. I’ve read the flavor of nanking are inferior to the u of sk cherries. hopefully in a few years ill be able to try them.
Size to pit ratio of Nanking and western sand cherry are not to good. The flavor of carmine jewell is significantly better. Great article but everyone who reads it should remember the smaller cherries such as carmine jewell can be mechanically harvested but not pitted. Before someone plants 20 acres of them think about the pros and cons of these wonderful cherries. Now I can say I’m eating cherries fit for a queen! Let’s hope these cherries will cause a break through in pitters next!
I have two of them, one of my favorite fruiting plants. The flavor is so excellent.
Romeo and Juliet are probably big enough to pit. Crimson Passion takes forever to fruit and seems inconsistent. Others like Valentine and Cupid are not available in the states yet.
I bet that overhead machine they use up there at the U of S would have a time the with bushes the size they get down here in the “lower 48”. I took 3 & 4’ off mine and they’re probably still 8-9’. I know yours are way bigger than they originally advertised too.
I got an email from Bernis at HBUSA a week or so ago with a link to their site showing a pitter that she said is pretty slick. She said she got with the manufacturer and had them adjust the holes in the release plate for the smaller Carmine Jewel. $175 but I’ll wait awhile I think…
That’s great information on the cherry pitter. Some of these carmine jewell are 12 feet. The soil here is not the best so I would hate to think how big they could get in river bottom soil.
wonder how they pit them in SK. maybe the Canadians have a secret they’re not sharing with us? 