Montmorency tart cherry ripening on the tree ready for U-pick or cherry juice at King Orchards.
Tart Cherries
A healthy variety of cherry. Great for juices and cooking.
Montmorency
This is the traditional cooking cherry, once picked it needs to be pitted and frozen or canned within 24 hours. This job is made easy now that we have a large commercial pitter!
Customers are able to pick the cherries and have them washed and pitted right here on the farm in just minutes, making them ready to throw in the freezer for spectacular cherry desserts all winter.
Nothing tastes more homemade than a dessert with these fresh cherries, and now they are so easy to use. We also have Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate, dried tart cherries, and canned tart cherries in water available.
- Tart cherry harvesting is an exciting time in the orchard. More and more research is demonstrating the extraordinary health benefits of tart cherries. Read more about health and nutritional profile of Montmorency tart cherries
- Try King Orchards Montmorency Cherry Juice
- U -Pick tart cherry season begins around mid July and lasts approximately two weeks.
- Available year round individually quick frozen in our markets and ship them in the winter months.
Balaton Tart Cherries
This is an old variety from Hungary, where it is called Ujfehertoi Furtos. It is a recent introduction to Michigan, where it shows promise. The cherry is larger, firmer, and they ripen a week later than Montmorency cherries. These are the only tart cherries we are able to ship fresh due to their firm and hearty quality. We have these available year round individually quick frozen in our markets and shipping them in the winter months.
Dark Sweet Cherries from Northern Michigan
Dark sweet cherries ripening on the tree ready for U-Pick at King Orchards.
Everyone’s favorite. Pictured here.
Cavaliers
Our early to mid-season black sweet cherry, Cavalier is a terrific black sweet cherry with medium to large fruit. This is our favorite u-pick variety.
Sams
Our mid to late season black cherry, Sams extends our season. The tree is a heavy bearer, with grape-like clusters of fruit.
Ulster
Ulster, a later cherry, is very sweet and firm. It is a cross between the varieties Schmidt and Lambert. According to Bob, a cherry connoisseur in the Torch Lake area, it is northern Michigan’s best cherry.
Pick your own sweet cherries season begins around Early July and lasts approximately three weeks.
Light Sweet Variety
Sweet cherry blossoms on the tree in the U-Pick section at King Orchards.
Emperor Francis
An old favorite for fans of light sweet cherries, this variety is a nice yellow cherry with a bright red side.
Rainier
A large yellow cherry with a red blush, Rainier is an offspring of the Bing. Developed in Washington state, these cherries have a sweet and delicate flavor.
Gold
We grow these yellow medium-sized cherries for the commercial market. This is the variety that becomes the Maraschino cherries you buy at the store.