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The Unofficial National Cherry Homepage is proud to present the First Annual Golden Cherry Award. This award will be given to an individual or group that has worked in helping promote the cherry industry, in Michigan and nationally. Ladies and Gentlemen the winner is ... |
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Winner: Ray Pleva, a well known butcher in the central Leelanau town of Cedar, has developed a delicious variant of hamburger meat he calls the Plevalean. He combines tart cherries with lean meat to create a zesty hamburger product. Pleva also adds his special cherry formulas to other meats such as bratwurst, sausage and Canadian bacon. Plevalean is the most popular and is sometimes referred to as the "cherry burger". Patented in 1995, Plevalean burgers have found their way into school lunches in 17 states as well as many restaurants and other institutional settings. Check out Pleva's website at http://www.plevas.com/ to learn more or order some of his great products. |
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 | 2nd Place: The Suttons Bay Rotary Club Cherry Initiative is trying to help preserve the rural character of the county by assisting farmers in finding new markets for cherry products, developing more efficient methods for handling the fruit and increasing prices to the grower. In working with the CMI in establishing a brand name for cherries, they are finding new uses for dried cherries, as a snack, in cereal and salads. Cherries, with important anti-oxident properties, are also a healthy addition to any diet. Research is being documented to prove that cherries are one of nature's healthiest foods. Check out the Suttons Bay Rotary website at http://www.leelanau.com/cherries/ for more information on their work. |
| 3rd Place: The Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI) is a national, nonprofit organization which helps promote the tart cherry industry. The Institute provides the media with background information, production statistics, nutrition data, photographs, line art and other information about tart cherries. Together with the Suttons Bay Rotary Club Cherry Initiative, the Institute is hoping to establish a brand name for cherries similar to the Sunkist brand for citrus fruit and Chiquita for bananas. Check out the Cherry Marketing Institute's website at http://www.cherrymkt.org/ to learn more the organization's work. |
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