Scott Young and his son Cathen Young picking sweet cherries at Robertson Orchards of Door County, July 8, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
DOOR COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — In Door County, they’re colorful, round, and ripe for the choosing.
The season for sweet cherry picking is underway in parts of Northeast Wisconsin.
At Robertson Orchards of Door County, the bright yellow cherries are one of seven different varieties that grow on the farm south of Sturgeon Bay. Owner Skipp Robertson says he’s been watching the crop closely for months.
“Starting off, we were a little worried, because we had such a warm, late winter, early spring. We had some concerns that the trees were going to blossom early, and then get froze out. But that was not the case this year, thankfully,” said Skipp Robertson, Robertson Orchards of Door County Owner.
Robertson says recent wet weather did have an impact.
“Within the last several weeks, we got well over six inches of rain, and sweet cherries don’t fare the best with that. They have a tendency of over-ripening too fast,” he said.
Robertson says because of the conditions, he lost about half of his sweet cherry crop, resulting in a very short season. On Monday morning, Scott Young, and his son Cathen Young, are filling their buckets.
“I just like to come out here, because there’s a lot to just pick, and eat, and bake some,” said Cathen Young, Pulaski.
“To me, it’s like they have the best cherries around. I’ve been to a lot of orchards over the years, and these guys are the best,” said Scott Young, Pulaski.
And it’s more than the sweet cherries, Robertson grows the tart varieties as well. He says he expects an average crop this season. Lindsey Haag says no matter what variety, the experience is designed to be the same.
“We’ve got groups of 10, 15, the whole families getting together and making a day out of it. And really just enjoying the family time together while picking cherries, absolutely,” said Lindsey Haag, Robertson Orchards of Door County.
The season for picking tart cherries typically lasts about a month.
Robertson plans to offer a mechanical cherry pitting machine on Friday.
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