First to ripen is the ‘Hartland’ variety, bred by Cornell University, it’s one of the most reliable to set a good crop each year. It starts in the last week of June and is dark black. The 1st week of July finds ‘Ulster’ (also a dark color) ready. ‘Emperor Frances’ (a lovely golden cherry with a bright red cheek) is also ripe for the July 4th holiday. Mid-July finds ‘Hedelfingen,’ an heirloom variety that originated hundreds of years ago in Germany, ready. And, like ‘Hartland’, it is very reliable to have an annual crop along the shores of Lake Ontario. The last two sweet cherry varieties ripen at Hurd Orchards in late July. One of them, named ‘Gold’, is true to its name, being all gold in color. Its fruit contrasts visually to the other late variety, ‘Hudson,’ which is glossy black variety. You’ll surely marvel at the fruit displays of these late varieties at Hurd’s farm market where picked, ready-to-eat baskets of cherries are available. The artistic women who own and manage Hurd Orchards always have these fresh fruit displays mingled with summer cut-flowers and luscious, home-made pies and preserves.

Where’s ‘Bing’? It’s in eastern USA super markets’ produce sections. But it’s not at Hurd Orchards. Why’s that? Three reasons: Bing trees don’t like New York winters, ‘Bing’ fruit doesn’t taste as good as ‘Ulster’ (as proven by head-to-head consumer taste-offs), and ‘Bing’ cherries split in the New York rain showers much worse than do the Cornell-bred ‘Ulsters,’and ‘Hudsons.’ The ‘Bing’ cherries in our eastern USA stores come to us via a week-long truck ride from California, Oregon and Washington. So, Hurd’s locally grown cherries are fresher and can be picked when they’re at a riper stage (darker black and/or deeper tones of golden skin with higher sweetness) with unbeatable cherry flavor.

‘MONTMORENCY’ TART CHERRIES become available at Hurd’s just as the late ripening sweet cherries, ‘Gold’ and ‘Hudson’ finish. How do these tart –type cherries differ from sweet cherries? Simply stated, they have more acid (tart) juice, making them popular for processing. “Chaisins” are dried tart cherries that have emerged as a popular healthy snack. Frozen tart cherries (pits already removed) are best known for their use in cherry pies. Recent innovations find these ‘Montmorency’ tart cherries being blended into sausages to reduce fat and cholesterol content of this breakfast favorite. If you like tart flavored apple varieties you’ll probably love popping some fresh ‘Montmorency’ cherries into your mouth, too. Tart cherry jam on your toast ------ Ummmm good!! ‘Montmorency’ trees bloom later than sweet cherries. So, they almost always have a fruit crop at Hurd’s. Better make plans to travel out Highway 104 during cherry time!

* We are privileged that Dr. Robert Andersen, Professor Emeritus Cornell University has contributed these horticultural notes. Dr. Andersen, a specialist in 'stone fruits' worked for many years as a breeder, researcher and extension specialist at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York. His work, his knowledge and his enthusiasm have made a tremendous and important contribution to the fruit growing industry in our state, and specifically to us here at Hurd Orchards.