How American Farmers Harvest Millions Tons of Cherry: Processed in The Factory | Farming Documentary

Did you know that every year American farmers harvest more than 350,000 tons of cherries? Small fruits but rich in a unique sweet and sour taste. The journey from the open field to our dining table is hidden behind the red, watery cherries. So, how is the planting, harvesting, and processing of cherries done to maintain its freshness? Let's discuss in today's video. In the United States, cherries are planted the most in Washington, Michigan, Oregon, and California. In 2023, the United States will be proud of about 37,000 hectares dedicated to cherry planting, producing between 300 and 400 tons per year. This extraordinary result places the United States at the forefront of global cherry production. This achievement is due to the beneficial natural conditions and advanced agricultural technology. Hand-harvesting cherries is a traditional method used by many small farmers to ensure the best quality for each cherry. Workers will carefully select each fruit, only pricking when the fruit reaches perfect ripeness. Selecting the stem slowly to keep the skin of the tree smooth and intact, minimizing damage. This method, although it takes a lot of time and effort, produces beautiful, fresh cherries, and is often prioritized by the upper class export market. However, with the expansion of the agricultural scale, mechanical harvesting becomes an optimal choice for productivity and saving labor costs. A modern machine designed to shake the stem or branch of a tree, causing the ripe cherries to fall into the hole or pit below it, then immediately harvested. Although very effective, this method still has shortcomings such as easy to rot or harvest unripe fruits if the technique is not properly adjusted. Therefore, many farms combine manual methods for certain areas and machines for wide areas, for the sake of balance of quality and results. After harvesting, the cherries are immediately brought to the processing facility for a tight cleaning period. The washing machine automatically, with clean water and light detergent, cleans the fruit, removes dirt, bacteria and residues. After drying, the cherries are evaluated using an advanced evaluation system that evaluates the color, size, shine, and general condition of the fruit. After the best fruit enters the packaging stage, where the environment controlled by the temperature ensures that the fruit remains fresh. The cherries are then placed in a box designed specifically to protect them during long-distance transportation, either to local grocery stores or foreign export markets. The failed fruit will be processed. An important part of the reduction of waste and expansion of the range of cherry products. This fruit is cleaned, sorted, then juiced using a blender, juicer, strained, pasteurized, sterilized, then bottled or canned, then distributed. This ensures that imperfect cherries also contribute to the industry, producing juices, jams, syrups, and other culinary products. To produce delicious cherries, the journey begins with the preparation of fertile soil long before the first flower blooms. Cherry trees need fertile soil and have good drainage with pH 6 to 7. Farmers often use organic fertilizer or composted manure well to provide sufficient nutrition for young plants. Fall and early semi-ideal season to plant, each tree in a hole almost two feet, 13 to 20 feet between the trees, depending on the variety. In the early years, cherry trees need thorough maintenance. Water evenly, but not too much to help prevent the young root system from being waterlogged. When the tree is getting older, irrigation is reduced, only during the dry season. Initial nitrogen fertilizer promotes the growth of leaves and branches, a solid foundation for the fruit to come. Late winter, early semi-season, farmers cut weak branches, add light, and disease prevention, for the sake of abundant flower and harvest season. When the weather is warm, cherry trees bloom in early semi-season. Late March to April, the garden bathes with soft flowers, young red, pale, and clean white. This is also the beginning of the fruit process. The cherries will turn red after 45 to 90 days, marking the ideal harvest after the change of color from green to yellow. With an interesting red color and a unique sweet and sour taste, cherries are not only a symbol of the hot season, but are also known as the eyes of the fruit world. This fruit captures all the senses and is suitable for all ages. Cherries rich in vitamin C, A, and thiamine, reduce constipation, improve sleep, and protect the cells. In cooking, cherries are very versatile. The sweet taste of pie, tart, salad, sauce, and cocktail adds to the elegance and appeal of the dish. If you find a journey to plant cherries as interesting as we do, let us know in the comments what surprise you feel the most. Have you ever visited a cherry farm or tasted fresh cherries? Do you like this video? Press the like button and subscribe to our channel for more interesting food stories. Cotton is one of the main crops in the textile industry, which provides raw materials for billions of fabrics and clothing products around the world. Every year, around 3.6 million tons of cotton is harvested from fields in tropical and subtropical areas such as the US, India, China, and Brazil. So, how does the cotton harvesting and processing process go? Let's explore the journey below. Cotton cultivation in the US takes 150 to 180 days, from sowing seeds to growing plants, flowering, and forming bowls. When the cotton reaches optimal ripeness, the skin of the fruit is separated, showing a fine white fiber, indicating that the harvest season has arrived. Previously, cotton harvesting was done manually. The workers picked each flower. This method not only takes time, but is also very difficult, so it limits the ability to expand production. Modern cotton farms now harvest thousands of hectares of cotton quickly using strong machines. The two main types of harvester machines are cotton pickers and cotton pickers. The cotton picker is designed with a special rotating porous that separates the fiber from the plant with softness without damaging the rest of the cotton plant. This method is effective in cotton fields that grow evenly and ripen, producing cleaner fibers, less dirt. Meanwhile, the cotton harvester machine has a stronger mechanism, collecting cotton, leaves, stems, and the rest of the plant. This method is faster, but requires more thorough cleaning to separate the cotton from the dirt. Thanks to modern technology, the harvester is now equipped with a precise GPS system and farming technology, helping to optimize the harvest pattern, reduce the consumption of fuel, and ensure maximum efficiency. After harvesting, some machines have a function to press the cotton into a large ball weighing about 500 pounds, soaked in water, and given a label with an identification code to facilitate tracking during the transportation process. The cotton ball is then brought to the cotton mill for processing. At the cotton mill, the raw cotton begins its transformation. The first step is to loosen and rub the cotton fiber to prepare for the separation process. Then the cotton is put into a high-speed roller that is soft but effective in separating the fiber from the seeds. The cotton seeds are not thrown away, but are collected to be pressed into cotton oil or used as a feed. After separating the seeds, the cotton fiber is thoroughly cleaned to remove dirt, leaves, and remaining stems, ensuring that only the purest cotton fiber is included in the next production process. After the cleaning process, the cotton fiber is pressed into a large ball, then wrapped carefully and transported to the textile factory. Here, the cotton undergoes a carding process that helps to arrange the fiber into thin long pieces to prepare for the separation process. The fibers are then pulled and twisted using a high-speed roller to form a strong thread. The fiber can be colored, woven, or knitted into a variety of fabrics for various needs, from cotton to industrial and medical products. Before entering the mining and processing stage, cotton planting must go through a thorough and meticulous fertilization process to ensure high results. Planting is usually done in the semi-season when the weather conditions are good, allowing the seeds to germinate quickly. Farmers arrange the seeds neatly with seed planters, optimizing the growing space. The seedlings grow into green bushes, absorbing sunlight for their growth energy in the following months. Cotton is a tough plant, adapts well to warm climates and is able to withstand harsh weather conditions. Farmers need thorough irrigation, fertilizer, and compost management to harvest abundantly. The right time and dose of pesticide spraying effectively controls pests without reducing cotton quality. This ensures maximum growth and harvest results. If properly cared for, the cotton plant will begin to flower, then the flower will wither and develop into a bowl filled with soft white cotton fiber. This is a sign that the cotton is ripe and ready to be harvested, indicating an important stage in the cotton production process. In addition to its important role in the textile industry, cotton is the backbone of the US agricultural economy, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and donating billions of dollars every year. The US, the world's largest cotton exporter, provides high-quality steel for the global textile industry. Since the industrial revolution until now, the US has maintained its economic value and is moving towards sustainable production. The cotton journey is a proof of human creativity with the combination of modern technology. This process combines traditional techniques and sophisticated machines, maximizing this important natural thread. What is your opinion about the planting, harvesting, and cotton processing process? What surprised you the most? Leave your comments below in the comments section and don't forget to like and subscribe to watch other interesting agricultural documentaries.