No sour grapes here, even though heavy spring rains and winds flattened the cherry blossoms and discouraged the bees that usually pollinate this tree. As a result there are about one-third or less of the usual amount of cherries this year. I decided not to pick them but to leave them for the birds, and for those eager backyard squirrels - gymnasts who hang upside down and adopt fasicinating postures to get at the fruit.
The tree is a Montmorency sour cherry, I believe, which is self pollinating, though when I bought the tree it was labeled a McKinley cherry tree. I was told that it needed another tree of the same kind for pollination. The tree has fruited every year, so either there is a similiar tree in the neighborhood or the tree really is a Montmorency.
In the past I have been creative with the cherries - have stewed the fruit with lots of sugar, removed the seeds, and made a cherry syrup to put in sangria, make a cherry drink, or pour over ice cream. I have also pitted the fruit and cooked them down in sugar to make filling for a traditional pie. So has my neighbor, who exchanges tomatoes from his garden for a bowl of our sour cherries!
Wonder how well the tree will blossom in spring 2009 after a harsh winter? And will there be enough bees to ensure a full covering of cherries?
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