February is National Cherry Month. While fresh cherry season peaks in summer, February was chosen to celebrate cherries in American history — from the folklore of George Washington’s cherry tree to the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Japan to the United States as a symbol of friendship and goodwill.
At Oregon Fruit, we think February is also the perfect time to talk about something just as important: where our cherries for our red tart cherry puree actually come from.
Supporting Local Oregon Cherry Growers: Our Partnership with Brutke Farm
It may be the middle of winter, but orchard work in Oregon never really stops. Our Fruit Procurement Manager, Zach Prosser, recently visited Brutke Farm to check on their red tart cherry orchard — a multi-generation partnership that continues to shape the quality of Oregon Fruit’s aseptic cherry purees.
A Century of Oregon Farming Heritage
The Brutke family has been farming in the Willamette Valley since 1919. They started with filberts and walnuts before expanding into cherries and strawberries. During the Great Depression, when strawberries were selling for a cent and a half per pound and buyers were scarce, Oregon Fruit founder Max Geller stepped in and purchased their crop.
As Dennis Brutke recalls, “Oregon Fruit was good to us for a long time.” That moment of support helped build a relationship that still exists today, 90 years later.
“Oregon Fruit was good to us for a long time.”
- Dennis Brutke
Why This Partnership Matters
In a region where many growers have removed their red tart cherry orchards, the Brutke family has stayed committed. Our partnership helps make that possible. By providing a reliable home for their entire red tart cherry crop, Oregon Fruit supports the long-term viability of their farm and helps keep a fifth generation working the land.
Consistency like this is rare — and it’s what keeps specialty fruit crops alive in Oregon.
Keeping Local Cherry Puree Competitive
For Oregon Fruit, working with a trusted local grower allows us to continue offering Oregon-grown red tart cherries and American-produced aseptic purees at prices that remain competitive with imported alternatives.
Brutke Farm sits about 800 feet higher than many neighboring orchards, which means their cherries ripen later. That later harvest window gives us flexibility to schedule a dedicated production run, maximize efficiency on our processing line, and manage costs carefully.
We put significant effort into sourcing, scheduling, and production planning so we can deliver a superior locally grown puree — without pricing it out of reach. While many aseptic fruit purees on the market are imported, our partnership with Brutke helps keep real Oregon cherry puree in our lineup.
Built on Reliability and Shared Values
The day-to-day partnership is straightforward and dependable. The Brutkes deliver clean, high-quality fruit on schedule. We keep receiving and production efficient so trucks aren’t waiting late into the night. The trust goes both ways — and that trust is what keeps red tart cherries in Oregon orchards and great fruit flowing into our cherry puree.
What Cherry Harvest Really Looks Like
Red tart cherry harvest is a focused, fast-moving operation. It typically runs about ten days, with a short break between sweet and tart cherry picking. Today, machines handle the work — replacing the physically demanding hand-harvesting Dennis remembers from earlier years.
But even with modern equipment, challenges happen. When a wheel motor failed during harvest this year, a neighboring grower had the replacement part on hand, and Wil, the fifth generation, had it repaired in a day. Around here, community still matters.
Why Cherries Are Picked in Water
Red tart cherries bruise easily, so they’re harvested into water to create a protective buffer during transport. It also simplifies cleaning at our facility, allowing us to skim debris and move efficiently into processing. Both Brutke and Oregon Fruit share the same goal: protect fruit quality from orchard to puree.
The Oregon Fruit Difference
Our work with Brutke Farm reflects what we value most:
- Supporting Oregon family farms
- Preserving specialty cherry varieties
- Keeping American-made fruit purees competitive
- Investing in responsible, community-centered sourcing
It takes coordination and long-term commitment to make local fruit work in a global supply chain. But the result is worth it — better fruit, stronger partnerships, and a product customers can trust.
Looking Ahead
This winter, the Brutke family is planting wheat as a rotation crop with no overlap into cherry season. When spring arrives, Zach will return to check bud development and prepare for another red tart harvest.
This National Cherry Month, we’re proud to celebrate not just cherries, but the growers who make them possible.
