I headed over to Cherry Hill to load up on some pie cherries. I love how some of their pie cherry trees mark the entrance to their farm where they can't help to just lure you in.
Pie cherries tend to be smaller than other varieties, and a lighter, brighter red as well.
They also tend to very juicy. My hands and arms are always left dripping in cherry juice when I'm done.
Ronda and Jeff Bosma (and their children as well) have been running their orchard for over 12 years now. When they acquired the farm, many of the trees were dead or dieing and they were forced to remove all that couldn't be saved. And in the process, they planted hundreds of new ones. Their farm is host to hundreds of cherry and peach trees as well as raspberries.
Two years ago they build their beautiful new barn that now houses their seasonal fruit store and antiques corner.
Ronda Bosma (pictured)
A few notes about pie cherries:
I find that the pie cherries tend to easily pull off of their stems when I'm picking them, which means one less step for me when I go to make my pies.
I use a handheld pitter to pit the cherries.
Due to the juiciness of the pie cherries, Cherry Hill lines their boxes with paper to soak up some of the juice. Even so, after a few hours, the juice will make its way through the box. It's a good idea to process your cherries soon after picking. (And don't worry, there's still plenty of juice in there to make your pies deliciously juicy).
When you support your local farmer, your supporting your community as well. God bless the farmers who work the land and provide us with the food we eat.
Ronda Bosma, (pictured)
You can find out more about Cherry Hill by visiting their website here.
My Meet The Farmer series is my way of shining a light on the wonderful farmers that work the land all around our home. Watch for more features in the series here on my blog.
