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

Help! We’re being overrun by cucumbers!!!

If we can’t get to the phones, it’s because we can’t make it through the mountains of pickling and slicing cukes we’ve harvested from our gardens. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to plant 5 acres

Here’s what we’re offering this week:

Veggies: Now available at both markets: good quality slicing cukes (not too fat) and pickling cukes (sand-free). Our sweet corn is here: golden fresh and sweet. We also have lots of our own zucchini and summer squash in the market, plus amazing melons, juicy tomatoes and crisp, tasty peppers direct from Bay City.

Cherries: Last chance for delicious, fresh tart cherries. Get ‘em while you can, most likely through the middle of the week. If you absolutely can’t make it by then, you’re still in luck. We’re now offering frozen pitted tart cherries and sweet cherries as well. So many ways to enjoy this Northern Michigan favorite… What’s yours?

Peaches: Our Early Glo peaches are ready for picking. These are sweet and delicious; great for eating! Just a little while longer for the Red Haven canning peaches, which we’re expecting the last week of August.

Nectarines: They should be ready around the same time as the Red Havens. So far, it’s looking like the last week of August to enjoy these.

Apricots: The apricots are delicious and firm, still going strong. Come and U-Pick or find them ready to go at the market.

Blueberries: Direct from West Olive, we’re got luscious, plump blueberries-great for eating and making desserts.

Flowers: We have big, beautiful sunflowers available to U-Pick and in our market. We also have a plethora of statice: a bright, colorful way to brighten up your home or office.

Tags: apricots, Cherries, cherry orchard, cherry picking, Crop Updates & Orchard Talk, fresh cherries, fresh tart cherries, In the Markets, nectarines, peaches, pick your own, sweet corn, traverse city, u-pick, u-pick apricots, u-pick cherries, u-pick peaches

We are in the final day or two of u-pick peaches and nectarines. We’ll still have them in the markets for a few more days, and we’re running specials on apricots, so if you’re thinking of putting some stone fruit up for winter, hurry in! We also have nice canning tomatoes available at $9 1/2 bushel.

If you’re hungry for apples, we just started picking Paula Reds. According to AppleJournal.com, “Paula Red may be the best early fresh-eating red apple widely available, especially in the northern states. A little like McIntosh, from which it is presumed to have descended, Paula is an attractive small to medium apple that fares well in the kitchen.”

Need picnic fixins? We’re picking fresh King Orchards sweet corn every day, plus we have melon, green beans, peppers, cabbages, onions, potatoes, plums, cukes and zucchini.

Tags: apricots, nectarines, sweet corn, u-pick peaches