EGG HARBOR, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) - Cherry season in Door County is winding down and farmers say the season has had its ups and downs.
The cold wet spring delayed the season by two weeks, and severe storms in July ravaged orchards especially in southern Door County.
Lautenbach's Orchard Country Winery and Market lost business during their peak picking time due to the delayed season.
"We have a cherry festival here, the 24th, or approximately there. And, this year we didn't have any cherries. No pick your own cherries because they just weren't ripe yet," explained Lautenbach's Orchard Country co-owner Bob Lautenbach.
Seaquist Orchards processes about 95% of production of all cherries in Door County. One of their orchards got hit hard by the storms.
"We do have crop insurance on it which helps a little bit but still it was a total loss on this 170 acres in Egg Harbor, and a bunch of our growers lost 100 percent to 50 percent of their production," said Seaquist Orchards President Jim Seaquist.
He says the storms lowered cherry production overall in the county.
"I would say we lost probably two million pounds to the storms right on the front end which was a little disheartening, but like I said the storms didn't really effect as much in the northern end," said Seaquist.
The calm end of the season was favorable for cherry picking tourism.
Hannah Gitter of Green Bay drove north to Door County to pick cherries at Lautenbach's orchard for her birthday.
"It doesn't look like the storms did much damage or anything, so just came out to pick today. Got a full bucket. Ready to go make some pie, jam, salsa," said Gitter.
Cathy Nichols came all the way from Dallas, Texas to see what the cherry picking is all about, and the highlight for her was cherry wine.
"I was pleasantly surprised by all the different one that they had to a very dry, to a semi sweets, and the sweets, and they even had a sparkling. One of them we tried had the nutmeg and clove and you could really taste the cloves and I haven't found that in a grape wine. And, the sparkling one didn't have the after taste that I've found with some of the grape sparkling wines," said Nichols.
While the season started out rocky it ended on a positive note.
"After all the storms and everything else it turned out pretty well for us," said Lautenbach.