STURGEON BAY (NBC26) — After a mild winter and spring underway, cherry trees are starting to bud in Door County, giving farmers hope for a sweet summer.
“Door County is a community that is unlike any other place," said Skipp Robertson, owner of Robertson Orchards. "I just feel you can’t get this anywhere else.“
The cherry trees are looking happy with the recent warm weather, but he's still wary of a little winter coming back, he said.
“When the trees start to blossom, even a little bit before they start to blossom, if we get a freeze, that could be detrimental to a cherry crop," said Robertson.
There's not much he can do if a frost comes though, he said.
“I can’t do anything to change the weather climate and what the weather forecast is going to be," said Robertson. "So it’s better just to not think about it. I just have one less stress.”
Another thing he says he doesn’t stress about is attracting people to come out to the orchard.
“With not a whole lot to do, lots of things being canceled, it let people have an opportunity to come out and do something that was safe outdoors," said Robertson.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people see their local farms for the better, he said.
“One benefit from this year is that people really got to get more personal with where their food comes from," said Robertson. "And I’ve always had value in that. I’ve always promoted staying local, buying close to home and just keep the money in the community.“
Robertson doesn't like to speculate, but if he had to guess, things will go pretty on-time this summer, he said. Sweet cherry picking will probably start around fourth of July, and tart cherry picking will start about a week after that.
