Orchard Talk

Things have been getting very busy around the fruit stand. We are still u-picking sweet cherries. We will be u-picking until atleast Tuesday, possibly longer. We will keep you updated on a for sure date in the next couple days.

We got the sweet cherry pitter out today! It is one of the coolest things to watch, so ask about getting some cherries pitted when you pick some. It makes for super easy freezing and eating and saves you a ton of work!

We just got done picking off of our early apricot trees. Our big crop will be coming in about 2 weeks or so. These early ones were amazing so I think it is safe to say we will be expecting many more delicious apricots available for u-pick and in the market.

We got our first shipment of Michigan blueberries in today. They look great and taste even better! Prices on blueberries are as follows:
$3.75/pint
$6.25/quart
$12.00/2 quarts
*We will be getting in 10lb boxes on the 9th and have begun taking orders for those

We have been getting lots of questions about when veggies are going to start coming in. Betsy talked to our Bay City farmer today and we are hoping to get onions, potatoes and possibly sweet corn next weekend!

Unfortunately, we are still thinking that there will be no tart cherries available for u-pick. The good news, however, is that we had a great crop last season and stocked our freezers with pitted tart cherries. Making a cherry pie just became way easier, no pitting or picking necessary

Also, strawberries have ended now. Thanks to our strawberry man for another great season and wonderful berries. We can’t wait til next season!

Tags: apricots, blueberries, onions, pitter, potatoes, strawberries, sweet cherries, sweet corn, tart cherries, veggies

There is one question everyone is asking. How long will we be able to pick sweet cherries? This year is so odd that I can’t say. My hope is that we will be able to pick through to next week end. There is a lot of fruit out there and if it stays dry the cracked cherries may dry up and the good cherries will be left for picking. Am I wishing for the impossible? If it continues to rain we will have to wait and see. Tart cherries will be into full swing come mid week. Raspberries continue to be great! All in all people are happy with there fruit and having fun. Betsy

Tags: crop report, sweet cherries, tart cherries, u-pick

Crop Report

Sweet Cherries:  There’s still plenty of fantastic sweet cherry picking available in both black sweet cherries and light sweet cherries (Queen Anne or Rainier cherries).

Pick your own:  $1.50 per pound
We pick: $4.50 per quart; $12.00 per 3 quarts; $30 per 8 quart flat; $36.00 per 20lb lug

Raspberries: $4.00 per pint; $7.00 for 2 pints; $24.00 per 8 pint tray (4 quarts)

Tart Cherries: We expect the tart cherries will be ready for picking by Tuesday, the 21st. It’s going to be a great year for u-pick tart cherries.

Look who we found hanging out in the sweet cherry orchard!

Gnorth the Gnome has been traveling Up North this summer, exploring all the things that make summer traveling and living in Northern Michigan great.  He’s hanging out with us here at King Orchards for a little while (if he’s still here next week, we may have to put him to work on the tart cherry shaking crew).

Take your picture with him while he’s here and enter it in Traverse Magazine’s MyNorth contest for a chance to win an “I’d rather be Up North” t-shirt.

Tags: gnorth the gnome, sweet cherries, tart cherries, traverse magazine, u-pick cherries

To encourage lots and lots of Michigan cherry picking, we are rolling back our u-pick prices to 2006! We’re calling it our Cherry U-Pick Stimulus Plan (CUSP for those of you who love your acronyms).

U-Pick Sweet Cherries: $1.50 per pound
We-Pick Sweet cherries: $4.50 per quart

We have a gorgeous crop of both sweet and tart cherries (another 7-10 days before tarts are ready), and from the looks of it, we’ll have u-pick available throughout the rest of July. Hope to see you out there!

Tags: cherry picking, crop report, sweet cherries, u-pick cherries

1 can (16-ounce) pitted dark sweet cherries
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons hot mustard
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup dried tart cherries
6 (6 1/2 ounces each) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
6 rosemary sprigs for garnish

Heat oven to 350F. Line a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with foil and spray foil with non-stick spray; set aside.

To make the glaze: Drain the pitted dark sweet cherries; reserve 1/4 cup of cherry juice. In a blender, puree the drained cherries until smooth.

In a skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the onion and garlic until soft; add the cherry puree, reserved 1/4 cup cherry juice, honey, vinegar, mustard, ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; stir until smooth. Add dried cherries; simmer 5 minutes.

Arrange chicken breasts in foil-lined baking pan; season with salt and pepper to taste. Brush chicken lightly with cherry glaze; reserve remaining glaze. Cover the pan with foil and bake chicken 20 minutes; brush with additional glaze and bake uncovered 10 to 15 minutes longer or until chicken is done.

To serve, pour 2 tablespoons warm reserved glaze over each chicken breast and garnish with a rosemary sprig. Serves 6.

Tags: Cherries, cherry recipes, dried cherries, michigan, michigan cherries, michigan sweet cherries, michigan tart cherries, sweet cherries, tart cherries, tart cherry recipes, traverse city

The black sweet cherries have been slow to ripen but we are finally there! Sweet cherries are in the markets by the quart. U-pick will open on Wed 7/9 at the m-88 farm. The picking will be much easier towards the week-end. Price for u-pick is 2.00/lb up to 25 lbs and 1.75 over. Raspberries are ripe for u-pick. Come out and enjoy the farm. Cherries will be in for about 2 weeks. Tart cherries ripe about 7/16. Happy harvesting!

Tags: sweet cherries, u-pick

We are loading up the tables for the cherry festival right now. We will be at the open space in Traverse City Fri noon until 10 pm. The hours July 5- July 12 are 10 to 10. Our markets are op[en all holiday week-end with strawberries and pies. The sweet cherries are not cooperating and look as though they will not be ripe until July 6 or 7 and u-pick to start around July 8 to 10. We do have sweet cherries on the trees and the season will last about 3 weeks if it stays dry. The rain splits the cherries and shortens the crop. Tart cherries or sour pie cherries are very short and will be hard to schedule u-pick. I’m not saying we wont have it but I haven’t seen the light on how to manage the u-pick. I do plan to pit fresh tart cherries and put them into my tubs and 10 lb bags. Just keep an eye out and we will see how it goes. Apricots and peaches look great. Happy 4th!!!!!

Tags: cherry festival, michigan cherries, Our Websites, sweet cherries

We’ve been getting lots of calls this week about u-picking. For general estimates, our Harvest Calendar offers a month by month guide to what’s in season, from May blossoms through October pumpkins.

We’re still thinking sweet cherries will be ready around the 8th or 10th of July, but you might be able to pick raspberries by the 4th. We’ll keep you posted!

In the meantime, enjoy this travel video Brian Kaufman from the Detroit Free Press shot last summer, which features an interview with John King and cherry lovers & pie makers from Chicago.

Tags: michigan, raspberries, sweet cherries, u-pick cherries