Bay Area cherry season is here! How to pick the best cherries and how to keep them fresh

BRENTWOOD, Calif. (KGO) -- Bay Area cherry season has finally arrived! This juicy & delicious fruit is usually only in season for about 6 weeks from Mother's Day until the end of June. 'U-Pick' farms in the East and South Bay are popular family activities, but do you know what to look for when you are hunting for the perfect cherry? ABC7 spoke to a cherry expert and got the must-know tips for any amateur cherry-picker.

Jami Palladino from Mike's U-Pick cherries in Brentwood, is part of a third generation farm family. Mike's U-Pick orchard has ten acres and 1,700 trees of coral, lapin, and rainier cherries.
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Here are her must-know tips:

1.) Pick cherries with a stem
Cherries with a stem will last longer at home

2.) Pick cherries from the top of the tree
The cherries on top of the tree will be the most ripe since they are receiving the most amount of sunshine
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3.) Pay attention to color
Cherries that are dark red are typically the sweetest, but there are different types and colors of cherries. Ask the farmer what colors you should look our for.

4.) If the cherries are not ripe to your liking
Place the cherries in a bowl on the counter to ripen. Do place in direct sunlight. They will last longer if they are kept cool.

5.) Let cherries breath
When you are ready to leave the farm do not tie the bag. It will cause the cherries to sweat and they will spoil faster.
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6.) Wash as you eat
Do not wash the entire bag of cherries at once. It will cause them to spoil faster.

To visit Mike's U-Pick Cherries visit their website.



Here are other U-pick farms in the Bay Area:

Chavez U-pick cherries (Brentwood)
Maggiore Ranch (Brentwood)
Nunn Better Cherries (Brentwood)
U-Pick Orchards (Morgan Hill)