How can I most economically conserve the coolness of my Bing cherries before shipping?

Question

I am a Bing cherry grower in California and am looking for some information. I would like to install evaporative misters in the barn where we store our cherries prior to shipping. They are stored in the northern wing of a pole barn, on a 40’X16’ concrete slab. We are only a 20 acre grower and ship only one truckload per day. We begin picking at 5:30 am and stop by 1 pm. Our receiving temperatures at the shed range from 62 to 70 degrees F and average ±67 F. We would like to conserve as much of the natural coolness as we can prior to shipping. We haul the fruit to a shed 26 miles away and a reefer van doesn’t seem cost effective so I’m looking at other options. (J.S.)

Answer

I think misters would be a good idea.  They will provide some cooling. I expect you might keep the fruit 5° to 10°F cooler than now.  They will also add moisture to the air around the fruit and reduce the stem drying of fruit near the surface of the bin.  Be sure to use potable water in the misters.

-Jim Thompson