Category Archives: Orchard

We have survived Storms, Work: Shipping Tomorrow, July 19, 2016

We have had more good, prime, cherries than we expected.  We have ridden out several storms that could have caused problems, but did not.  Our harvest days have been more than we expected.  Tomorrow, we are having our last harvest day and shipping our boxes all over the country.  We are using flat rate, medium, U S Mail boxes.  They are guaranteed for two day delivery, but the fact is sometimes, it is three days.  These cherries will be, “just picked”, and should do well.

If you are in an apartment or in condos, etc., please find your box.  There are many times when managers tuck them away and so forth.  Work with your post office, sometimes they forget they have them in the building.

When your cherries arrive, rinse them in colanders.  Refrigerate and cool for awhile.  Good luck.

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Orchard Cherries, June 28, 2016

Now, we begin our countdown.  Cherry Season and Harvest 2016, on Flathead Lake, in Montana.

This is a typical cluster today.  We are now passing straw color and into the reds spectrum.  Let us know if you want a shipped box, or, ” will call”.  These photos are Lapins, our dark, sweet cherry.  Queen Annes and Rainier Cherries will be ready earlier.   We will have some tarts to share.  U Pickers will come after harvest.  Call for an appointment any day at 4pm.  When the orchard trees begin to cool, it is a good time for picking. IMG_6888-branch-optimizedOur branches are loaded to the ground .  We are excited.  Much labor will go into this harvest, but it is something we enjoy.  We expect to give many people a great Orchard experience this year !  We will keep you posted as we progress towards our harvest and ship date.IMG_6870IMG_6874

Fencing, Weeding, Planting, Building

Rabbits began to find our new rock gardens in the vineyard.  The bunnies wiped out our fresh, spring radishes.  Dan has spent the last week, on his knees, fastening fine grid wire around the bottom of our acres of vineyard.  Let’s hope the snowshoe rabbits get our message.

This is the time we weed vigorously.  Great fruit trees and vines do not like weed competition.  Montana weeds are vigorous and it is a great challenge to keep our orchard beautiful and weed free.  After we have done our best, we use an agricultural vinegar to help us.  It takes a slow, hand application and patience.  We never use Round Up on our acreage.

IMG_6625   We are arranging shipping now.  Our cherry addicts would not be happy if we didn’t send out our cherries.   We ship dark, sweet, prime cherries on our harvest day.  Go to our order page if you are interested in cherries.  The price has been the same during the past ten years.  $35.00 a box.  This year, shipping, in the U.S. is $13.50.  This should be easy.  No complications, just call us or email.  We will help you.