DOOR COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The season is underway for cherry picking in Door County.
Every year people head to the peninsula for the tart treat.
COVID-19 dropped tourism numbers last season, and officials are seeing a rebound this year.
At Schartner’s Farm Market south of Egg Harbor, Matthew Owen and his family are sweet cherry picking for the very first time.
“We were just driving and we saw the stands on the side of the road, and thought, hey, this would be a great place to try our hand at cherry picking.”
Across the street, John Hinz and Bruce Scholz are working on the 18 acres of tart cherry trees.
“How do they look? Good. The only thing is they’re falling off the tree, real easy,” said John Hinz, Hilbert.
“Right now the picking is real good, all over the county, from north to south. Everybody’s picking right now,” said Dave Schartner, Schartner’s Farm Market Owner.
Schartner tells FOX 11 the season is about a week and a half ahead of schedule. He says it’s been a busy year at the farm market too.
“There’s a lot more traffic this time of year, in the cherry season. But the tourism has been super the whole summer. I mean June was up, because everybody want to get out after COVID.”
Tourism leaders say because of the pandemic, direct visitor spending statewide was down 30 percent last year, and in Door County that number was down nearly 19 percent. Destination Door County Interim CEO Jon Jarosh is watching the 2021 statistics closely.
“This year, I think we’re seeing really robust rebound. I think numbers this year are going to be exceptional, at least they’re looking like it at this stage of the game, and I think it’s going to be a great year from tourism, and get our business community, and tourism back on track this year.”
Back at the farm, Schartner agrees.
“There has been a lot of tourists up here for the whole season, and it’s going to continue on. You talk to the motel people, they’re all booked up for the season pretty much. So things are looking good, as long as the weather stays nice.”
Cherry producers say they expect the season to last about another couple of weeks.
Comments