My Cherry Story

I had always had a longing to go to Utah in June when the cherries were ripe and can some cherries and although I had gone to June Conference several times, I had never figured out just how I could pick and can any cherries. But one June my opportunity came. Our youngest daughter was chosen among many Mutual people to sing for conference in a huge choir. Our son and family were living at Ogden at the time  where he was building a Radio Station, so our trip was extra special, visiting with our son and family and we attended the conference together.

One morning, soon after, the radio announced that cherry pickers were needed. I said, ''Molly lets go hire out for cherry pickers." She agreed, and I put on my husband's long sleeved shirt and pants, and when my daughter-­in-law was likewise attired, we went to the employment office. I started to go in but when I noticed how bad I looked in my husband's clothes I said, "Couldn't you go in, Molly and get a card for us both?" So she agreed. She got her card then said, "I also want one for my mother-in-law". The man said to her, "Is your mother-in-law old?"

"Oh no," said Molly, "She can probably pick more cherries than I can." So a card was issued for me too, and we went to the cherry orchard.

They gave us each a ladder and a bucket, and told us we were to pick 'canning cherries', none of the stems were to be left in. MY ladder was five feet tall and Holly's was nearly twice as tall (I guess they figured I should not climb any higher than that). I could not reach the cherries very well with my ladder and she was afraid to get on her high one, so we traded ladders. I just had to pick more cherries than Molly cause they had thought me old and I wanted to prove I wasn't; so I climbed to the top of that ladder and picked hard all day, and I did pick a few more cherries than she did. We wanted cherries for our pay to can, so I received a big lug of cherries and Molly a slightly smaller crate for hers.

The next day they told us to pick' shipping cherries' which meant the stems must all be left in. It was hard to have all the stems stay on the cherries, try though we did, some would come out. They told us i're could eat all the cherries we wanted. So I did. On the way to the car to eat our lunch I gathered a few from the ground that looked too good to waste.

We found we had forgotten our dessert. I said, "We can eat these cherries for dessert, " but Molly didn't want any. I said, ''What did you do with the cherries when the stems came out?"

"Oh some I ate, some I accidently dropped, and some accidently went into the bucket." Then she said, ''What did you do with yours?" I said, "I ate them all."

The pay we received the second day was enough to buy bottles and sugar to can our cherries. We canned 24 bottles each. I can truthfully say, I got my fill of cherries in those two days of cherry picking, but it is an experience I have always cherished.

by Velda Hancock