Cherry growers have hope for fruitful season

COVID-19 social distancing concerns may have caused the cancellation of the annual Flathead Lake Cherry Growers spring co-op meeting, but growers are full-speed ahead working on this year’s crop.

The growers’ cooperative has gathered every year for 80 years, a chance to hear educational speakers and share information and ideas about their crops, said board member Bruce Johnson. This is the first time it has been canceled. However, the meeting is not a requirement for growing the area’s legendary cherries. “Having to forego that doesn’t interfere with our harvest,” he said.

In fact, this year’s unusual circumstances may end up being somewhat of an advantage for the Flathead cherry market.

“Our harvest starts coming on in late July and we go through the first couple weeks of August,” Johnson explained. “We always feel fortunate that we are the last ones in the U.S. to harvest cherries because the market usually makes a rebound after Washington has harvested so many. Price-wise that’s good for us.

“But this year, it might be somewhat of an advantage in that the longer we wait, maybe the closer our world will be back to normal.”

One unknown is how well the pickers will fare. Cherries are hand-picked by mostly migrant workers who move here to help for two or three weeks after they are done picking in Washington. They are generally family units that are already living together, Johnson said. The size of the orchard rows means they are able to pick with distance in between them, which may help them avoid spreading the coronavirus if that continues to be a concern during harvest season.

The harvest begins in May in California.

“We’ll be watching them to see how they do,” Johnson said.

For now, all is proceeding with the optimism of spring.

“Pruning is just getting finished up and growers are preparing for the arrival of blossoms and bees,” Bruce says.