National Chant at the Moon Day

From National Cheese Day (June 4) to National Pet Your Dog Day (August 26), it seems like there is a day for everything. To celebrate our famous Moon Cherries, we created National Chant at the Moon Day which happens every year on August 15.

What is National Chant at the Moon Day?

National Chant at the Moon Day is Stemilt’s way of encouraging YOU to get outside, chant at the moon and enjoy a bag of our famous A Half Mile Closer to the Moon® cherries with your friends and family.

What are A Half Mile Closer to the Moon® cherries?

Our A Half Mile Closer the Moon® cherries are grown by Stemilt fourth generation cherry grower Kyle Mathison, also known as the “Cherry King.” These Moon Cherries, as we like to call them, are grown at elevations of 2600 feet above sea level and higher, or literally a half-mile closer towards the moon. These high-altitude cherries bloom later and ripen later and are the best place for premium dark-sweet cherry varieties like Skeena, Staccato® and Sentennial™ to grow in the late summer.

Kyle believes that the moon’s gravitational pull gives the tree’s roots an extra boost of nutrients, which ultimately leads to the cherries getting extra sugars and complex flavors. Because of this belief and Kyle’s unique harvesting practices, we created National Chant at the Moon Day to celebrate these wonderful summer treats.

What’s so special about these Moon Cherries and why did they deserve a holiday?

We created National Chant at the Moon Day because our Moon Cherries are that good! No one grows cherries quite like Kyle Mathison grows cherries and you can tell when you take a bite of one of his Moon Cherries. They have a juicy, crunchy bite with an explosion of flavor that is hard to replicate. When you bite into a Moon Cherry, you will know why we think they are World Famous and deserve a special day in their honor!

What should I do with Moon Cherries?

Dark-sweet cherries have endless possibilities. From snacking straight out the bag (yum!) to adding them into a baked good or even freezing them, dark-sweet cherries can do just about anything in the kitchen. Dark-sweet cherries also make a great addition to a charcuterie board. Check out some of our favorite recipes below:

Quick Cherry Bread – This tasty bread is small in stature but mighty in flavor that certainly won’t disappoint.

Cherry Cheesecake Bars – These Cherry Cheesecake Bars a great way to mix up a classic!

Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream – This homemade ice cream recipe is the perfect way to cool down from a hot summer day!

No Bake Cherry Bliss Balls – If you need a boost of energy, these No Bake Cherry Bliss Balls are ideal and easy to make!

Still not sure what to look for when selecting cherries at the grocery store? Follow our 5 easy tips to selecting cherries that will help you pick the perfect bag!