Cherries

Cherries are genuinely difficult in Alabama heat, which is why you almost never see them at a Southern market - the trees want more winter chill and less summer humidity than we can give them. Our window is correspondingly short, usually only a couple of weeks in late May and early June, and volume varies a great deal year to year. Refrigerate unwashed and use quickly; cherries lose their snap fast at room temperature. Sold fresh through local Alabama delivery, farm pickup, and our farmers-market stand.

• Grown in: Lineville, Alabama (no synthetic pesticides)
• Freshness: Harvested at peak and sold fresh
• Availability: Seasonal - local Alabama delivery & pickup
• Storage: Refrigerate and enjoy fresh
• Why it's good: Nutrient-dense and picked at peak freshness

• Storage: Cold and unwashed with the stems still on, in a shallow layer
• Shelf life: 5 to 7 days refrigerated; they go soft within hours at room temperature
• Washing: At the last minute only. Cherries split and soften when they sit wet, and the stem well is where rot starts.
• Using: Eat them cold and raw while they still snap. Beyond that: pitted and frozen, or cooked down with a little acid for a sauce that goes with pork and duck.

Why leave the stems on?
The stem seals the fruit. Pull it and you open a wound that lets moisture out and mould in, which is why stemmed cherries go over in a day or two.

Why is the season so short here?
Cherries want winter chill and dislike humid summers, and Alabama gives them the opposite. Our window is usually a couple of weeks in late May and early June, and the crop varies a lot year to year.

Do they keep their snap in the fridge?
Largely, for the first few days. Cherries are one of the few fruits that genuinely want to be cold from the moment they are picked - warmth is what costs them their texture.