ALGOMA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Cherry season in Michigan is winding down, with many sweet varieties nearly finished for the year.
At Grange Fruit Farm near Rockford, families like the Hermes - parents Robin and Caleb with their three children - spent Tuesday morning gathering cherries.
"We get the high ones, and the kids get the low ones; that's usually how we strategize, but they end up eating more than goes in the bucket," Robin Hermes said.
Heidi Brown brought her grandsons to the farm as a family activity.
"I thought this would be fun for them, something to do for the day. We went hiking yesterday, and today was cherry picking," Brown said. One of her grandsons added, "I think we're going to do it again. It's fun."
The season had a concerning start after a hailstorm earlier this year, but the crop proved resilient.
"We were a little nervous about what it would do to our crop, but the cherries held up real nice. There were some slight bruises and scratches, but they've been pretty beautiful in bulk," said Aiden Longcore, Grange Fruit Farm manager.
Recent heat accelerated the ripening process, but Longcore said the overall season has been comparable to previous years.
A price comparison reveals that Grange Fruit Farm charges $2.90 per pound for pick-your-own cherries, which is slightly higher than the prices at local supermarkets. Meijer offers cherries at $1.99 per pound, Walmart at $2.25, and Family Fare at $2.77.
For many visitors, the higher cost is offset by the value of the experience.
"Just the experience of getting to spend time with the family, you know, outweighs almost the cost, you know what I mean? So, then you're getting, you know, basically free cherries, if you look at it that way," said Caleb Hermes.
His wife Robin agreed: "We come for the fun, and the cherries are just a bonus."
As cherry season concludes, Grange Fruit Farm is preparing for other pick-your-own opportunities. Raspberries will be available this weekend, followed by blueberries a few days later, with peaches expected by the end of July.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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