POLSON — Mild winter temperatures then a major cold snap in January have drastically impacted Flathead cherry crops.
Ahead of the Flathead Cherry Festival at the end of the month, MTN went to Polson to see how the stands are doing. Driving around Flathead Lake, one can spot cherries on the trees at many orchards.
At Gateway Orchard on Highway 35, the fruit on hundreds of their trees was wiped out by the January freeze.
"Most of them, right here at our orchard, it's all wiped out from the freeze and most of the valley is," said Jim Engelsberger who runs Gateway Orchard with his mother.
However, their stand is up and running since they sell jewelry, huckleberries, and other fruits and vegetables. Still, though, they are working with other orchards to stock their stand.
"Well, we're open right now because we do sell other things also but we're actually getting, being selective, bringing some cherries in from Washington. Later on, we have a neighbor up the road that's going to sell us some Flatheads, there's not a lot," explained Engelsberger.
Even though business is impacted due to the lack of cherries, Gateway Orchard is staying optimistic about having some Montana cherries available in the near future.
"There will be a little bit, we should have cherries, Flatheads, by the festival. They're not ripe yet," Engelsberger told MTN.
