Nothing says ‘Christmas in the Yarra Valley’ quite like cherries.
The plump red fruit on bright green stems will be found on fruit platters and decadent desserts on thousands of tables this festive season.
Many of them start life in the orchards of the Yarra Valley.
Seville’s Yarra Valley Cherries is among those producing the sweet, crunchy fruit.
The 32 acre farm has more than 15,000 trees producing 40 cherry varieties from early November to early in the new year.
The orchard is on rolling hills and credits its soil and microclimate with producing firm, crunchy cherries with a rich taste and flavour.
The farm introduced more than three million bees to help native bees to pollinate the trees.
More than 30 pickers arrive at 6am to handpick the varieties that are ripe that day.
The fruit travels from the orchard to a hydro cooler on the farm that chills them to three degrees for grading, and then packing.
Cherry orchards across the valley open for ‘U-Pick’ from November through to mid-January.
Visitors should look for cherries that are firm, bright and shiny with fresh green stems.
