
Stemilt a Half Mile Closer to the Moon Cherries size, taste and firmness are out of this world
Like the moon, the size, flavor and firmness of A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherries is out of this world making them the grand finale to the cherry season. A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherries are grown by fourth-generation Stemilt farmer, Kyle Mathison, who harvests these mystical morsels with the lunar cycle at high elevations to extend the season delighting retailers and consumers with an end-of-the-season bonus.
“We save the best cherries for last with A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherries,” said Brianna Shales, Stemilt marketing director. “Kyle grows these cherries with the cycles of the moon waiting for the perfect time to harvest when the gravitational pull is the strongest pulling the most aromatics and sugars into the fruit.”
A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherries are the last to harvest in Stemilt’s cherry season. Grown in Wenatchee, WA, the cherries are grown at elevations of 2,640 feet above sea level and higher (or literally a half mile closer to the moon). Late-blooming cherry varieties like Skeena, Staccato and Sentennial thrive in nutrient-rich soil and optimal growing conditions to provide a premium eating experience.
“The A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherry label is a way retailers can call attention to late season cherries,” said Shales. “An ideal growing season with brilliant weather has encouraged larger fruit sizes this year. A combination of warm days and cool nights has been prominent which will lend to cherries with higher aromatics, sugars and rich, dark color.”
Cherry dollars are only available to capture for a few months out of the year, so any time retailers can extend the season with something special is incremental. Stemilt gives retailers and consumers access to varieties that only the grower has during certain times of the year to add bonus sales toward the end of the cherry season.
“It’s easy to let A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherries stand out in high-graphic boxes they’re packed in and their own catch weight branded bag,” said Shales. “If you’re not running ads now, you should be while volume is available! A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherries can help make up for any deflation retailers have experienced earlier in the season and those who carry them can sell for more with a premium product.”
Beyond the store, there are two windows to celebrate A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherries with consumers including National Chant at the Moon Day Aug. 15 and Labor Day Sept. 4. Stemilt will have cherries in the last week of August allowing for a strong finish. As quality continues to flourish as the season gets later, it will match the higher retail pricing of cherries with high Brix, firmness and flavor.
“As consumers take the first bite into these special cherries, they’ll experience an explosion of aromatics, sugars, acids and juiciness that can’t be found any other time of the year,” said Shales. “We can’t think of a better way to end the season than with A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherries that delight consumers with flavors from the moon.”