Great news…it is official! The first cherry blossom of 2014 has been spotted in Northern Michigan.
I wanted to reach out and let you know that the cherry buds are starting to blossom. This is great news for the upcoming cherry season. During the extremely harsh cold temperatures this past winter year, the blossoms are a little late in blooming, however, thanks to the warmer winds and welcoming rains, the season is starting out great.
While we still do not know what the overall crop yield will until each blossom turns into an actual cherry. Once all of the blossoms on the branch bloom, we’ll have a better idea. The next hurdle that needs to overcome during the spring season is once the blossoms appear from the buds they need to remain safe on the trees from freezing temperatures or high winds. The freezing temperatures could easily freeze the blossoms and greatly reduce the crop yield. This is what occurred recently and caused a shortage in the tart cherries.
The high winds could affect the crop if the wind speed is high enough to blow the blossoms from the branches, thus preventing the cherries from forming. This occurred a few years ago when several days of high winds and storms rolled across Northern Michigan.
Check out these great photos of the cherry buds and cherry blossoms emerging from the buds.
Cherry Buds on the Trees
Cherry Blossoms emerging from the buds
Check out what Leanne C., from Atlanta, GA, said:
“I know a lot of companies sell cherry juice and cherry capsules, but Traverse Bay Farms is the only company I will purchase my cherry products from. You really go the extra mile to educate about the cherry and other fruits, too. I also like to know that my cherries are Michigan-grown and not imported from Poland or China. I don’t want to eat imported food. I want to support American farmers.”
We’ll also be shipping fresh cherries as soon as they are available. Be on the looking for those future announcements, too.