Cherry Season Begins

I adore bing cherries!  They are one of my favorite fruits, right up there with a sweet, juicy peach or a wedge of perfectly ripe canteloupe.

Today is opening day for cherry-picking at Shady Lane Orchards off Melrose road.  I got there about 8:15 this morning with my son, Kevin, and we picked 20 pounds of bing cherries and a couple pounds of tart pie cherries.  I'd have picked longer--it's so hard to stop when it's a beautiful day and the picking is easy--but Kevin broke his thumb last week so it was more of a challenge for him.

Shady Lane has a good crop this year and there were not nearly as many "splits" from all our rain as I expected.  The price is $1.00/lb. u-pick and $1.80/lb. if you buy them picked.  They also have the lighter- colored Rainier cherries, though I have never picked those.

Brosi's Sugartree Farms on the way to Winston also has cherries ready for picking.