Cherries!

I've mentioned before, we have a hard time watering. We're just busy and yard work isn't our priority however we do try to water plants that feed us. Even though the corners of our front yard are yellow, there's a lovely green circle of grass right around the cherry tree.

Our tree is about ten years old. It is seriously the best thing we ever could have planted. The type of cherry is "Stella" and it's one of the few self fertile sweet cherries out there. Actually I don't know if you can get a hold of it now, it's been a few years since I've seen the name.

The tree is amazingly hardy, we've had to cut a few branches due to children abusing it, we've battled aphids and of course Idaho dry summers are a constant battle.

Just a side note, a non-pesticide treatment for aphids is water with a bit of dish soap spiked in it. Works wonders!

It must be the area but we've never had a worm problem with our cherries. Now lots of worms in the neighbors apples and of course earwigs in the apricots out back (earwigs are the ickiest bugs!) but worms in the cherries? Not ever!

So we love our tree and it's a great producer. The only year we've never had cherries was the super late frost two years ago that killed the blossoms. Of course late frost isn't the only problem, we have birds and as soon as these babies start to blush, it's time to net. Any branches that break free are fair game for our feathered friends and they take on the challenge willingly!

There's also the two legged red headed pests that adore any and all fruit. They start eating while everything is still green! They also work on the currents and sour cherries out back. How they can eat the green sour cherries is beyond me! The birds wont even eat those when ripe and cherry red! Fortunately we have the twins convinced death will occur if they touch the grapes.

Anyway, it was a late season, usually we pick a week after the fourth and here it is almost the end of the month.

Our netting was slipping and the birds were getting in, so even though the cherries could have stayed on the tree for another few days, I decided to pick yesterday. It took almost an hour and moving the ladder half a dozen times before I could free the tree and start picking.

It was a good harvest, about ten pounds of cherries! I noticed aphids up top and after picking sprayed my magic dish soap solution all over. I'll probably retreat later this week.

Now for the cherry goodness. There was a minor meltdown and a bit of frantic searching when gadget boy realized I didn't know where the cherry pitter was. Luckily dad found it. Who knew a missing gadget was a sign of the end of the world?

So a few pounds were put in a crisp last night, a few pounds in the fridge, unpitted for fresh eating and of course the rest went into the freezer.

Ean pitted them all and the cherry pitter gave it's life so a seven year old boy could live in gadget heaven. I need to the cannibalize the parts for the next pitter.

Fortunately I won't need one until next years harvest.

I think we need another tree too. Really, ten pounds of fresh cherries isn't nearly enough. :)