Thurlby: 2017 Cherry Season Looks Good, Will Start Late

The cold long winter is having it’s impact felt on this year’s cherry crop.  B.J. Thurlby, President of the Northwest Cherry Growers, says this winter, the worst since 1985, will bust the date of the first harvest back to June 10^th, nearly a month later than last year’s first harvest date of May 17^th.  He told the Washington Ag Network while it’s disappointing that Northwest cherries won’t be in grocery stores for Father’s Day weekend, and in limited availability over 4^th of July, there are many positives to a late start season.

“We haven’t had cherries in August in three years, and I’m excited for the fact that we’re going to have cherries well into the summer, and some people are even talking possibly the first couple of days of September so, we’re going to have boxes full of cherries.”

Thurlby said there’s been a lot of comparison between this season, and 2009, and year which many growers struggled.  He added while there are similarities with growing days, a lot has changed over the past eight years.

“Bloom timing is different, more window to sell this crop and then our packing lines and our infrastructure is so different now.  We’re going to sell this thing, we’re going to pack it and really, the fruit looks great right now, its spread throughout the trees and if you’re a grower make sure you’re growing that ten row fruit.”

Thurlby anticipates 90-100 days for this crop.

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