Idaho cherries suffer huge losses
Executive Director for the Gem County Chamber of Commerce Diane Streeby said the spring was not kind to Emmett’s fruit farmers.
Cherry producers all over Emmett felt some sort of impact from a cold spring snap and many producers lost roughly 90 percent of their seasonal crop.
While some local producers will be able to lend their cherries to the festival, according to Streeby cherries will be going fast.
“Will we have as many local as we had last year? No,” she said. “But will we have enough cherries to feed everyone? Yes.”
How so?
“So I go to my local Albertsons and just ask for them to bring them in, because we can’t have Cherry Fest without the cherries,” said Streeby.
Just off Mill Road is the Walker Fruit Ranch, a family run business that won’t be as busy as usual this year.
The orchard has been in the family for decades. Bryce Walker said the farm started out with 60 acres of fruit trees, now it’s down to five acres.
They have 175 cherry trees, but this year only a select few actually have fruit.
The cold snap came in April, where consecutive days dropped below 28 degrees. The Walker Fruit Ranch was one of the unlucky producers, and losing more than 90 percent of their cherry crops.
Bryce Walker said the season is a big loss, and it will probably take a couple of years to make it up.
Source: ktvbv.com
