Well, with the wonderful rainy spring and summer, the apple orchards and grape vineyards are looking lush and hanging with fruit. Also, the warm Spring has everything ripening early this year, so you can expect fresh apples over Labor Day Weekend and the Pick Your Own orchard opening the weekend of September 10th and running through September 26th.
The grapes will most likely be harvested earlier than the average, thus providing an escape from any early frost scares. The clusters are large and beautiful color and we even found a bird’s nest with two baby birds in one of the vineyards!
Well, with the early bloom this year the cherries are also early…..at least 2 weeks. We opened up the pick your own tart cherry orchard last weekend and hope to have enough cherries through July 25th. Typically, the peak of the cherry season is the 3rd-4th week in July.
However with all the rain we had, the tart Montmorency cherries are a great size and and very plump and juicy. We are open daily for picking 9 am – 5 pm daily, while supplies last.
Well, Mother Nature has thrown us a curve ball once again. Last year there were blossoms on the trees over Memorial Day Weekend, 2 weeks after the average. This year, the blossoms arrived about 2 weeks earlier than the average putting the upcoming cherry crop at risk for a late frost.
However, no matter how many times I see the trees in bloom, I am still in awe of their beauty.
Orchard Country was celebrating Earth Day this week planting a new crop of Door County cherry and apple trees. Currently, the orchards consist of 8,000 trees.
March is here and with it brings signs of Spring and the hope of another great season at Orchard Country. The peninsula may seem dormant this time of year, but much preparation is taking place in many area businesses to gear up for yet another busy tourist season.
Here at Orchard Country, the milder temperatures are providing opportunity for owner Bob and his son-in-law Jody to get out in the orchards and vineyard to prune. Pruning is very important this time of year because the trees and vines are still dormant and it is responsible for the success of the upcoming fruit crop. By shaping the growth of the branches and vines you strengthen them, open them up to allow more sunlight in, and can essentially determine the amount and size of the fruit.
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Once upon a time the old adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” offered sage advice on maintaining good health. Today, however, wellness is more about a bowl of cherries. And for the more than 46 million—one in every 5 adults—who suffer from the debilitating affects of arthritis that is very good news.
February is National Cherry Month, the goal of which is to increase awareness of the benefits of consuming tart cherries and their potential health benefits. It is also the month to celebrate a fruit which has the potential for alleviating the affects of arthritis according to groundbreaking studies.
“We have known for years the benefits of tart cherries because of success stories our loyal customers have shared with us,” said Carrie Lautenbach Viste, co-owner/manager of Orchard Country. “The reason for this new promotion is to allow everyone the opportunity to take advantage of this healthy and versatile fruit and encourage them to include it as part of their daily diet.” (more…)
