Around East County: U-pick cherry season starting up in Brentwood
This year’s abundance of rain has brought more than just relief from drought but also a bountiful harvest of cherries in East Contra Costa County.
While Brentwood has always been the go-to place for cherry picking from late May to mid-June, weather conditions can often harm cherry crops. Factors such as drought, rain, heat and cold have always been a concern for farmers. However, things are different this year. Some local u-pick orchards have already opened their gates, and their managers plan to stay open later into the season, giving cherry lovers all the more reason to be grateful.
“We’ve had a great winter, which gives us the perfect environment for tons of cherries this year,” said G&S Farms Jessica Stonebarger.
G&S has opened their first chance at cherry picking in their Dixon orchard at 2315 Sellers Ave. in Brentwood. Over the next few weeks, the family-run farm will open its four additional lots.
“If possible, we like to stagger opening each lot so we can keep the season going longer,” Stonebarger said.
G&S Farms is a combination of two farming families, Ghiggeri and Stonebarger, who joined forces in the 1980s. These days, Glenn Stonebarger manages the farm with the assistance of his nephew, Joseph Ghiggeri, and his two sons, Paul and Michael, along with other members of their family.
G&S expects to open for just weekends right now, but with the heat coming back, they will add weekday hours. Keep updated by checking them out online at gsfarms.net or at facebook.com/GhiggeriStonebargerFarms.
Nunn Better Farms, at 5500 Balfour Road in Brentwood, is in the midst of cherry harvesting season and will be open daily on and off, depending on how the fruit ripens and while the harvest lasts. Keep yourself up-to-date by visiting Nunn’s website at nunnbetterfarms.com.
Though some cherry orchards have already opened with a limited amount of ripe fruit, others await the usual opening date over Memorial Day weekend. Wolfe Ranch Cherries, at 2111 Concord Lane in Brentwood, has recently announced via Facebook and their website that they will delay their opening until the end of May due to the late rain and cooler temperatures. However, they’re optimistic about having cherries available until late June. For more details, visit peterwolfe.com online.
That many u-pick farms are only open on weekends and that some smaller farms may run out of ripe fruit on and off during the season are worth noting. Calling the farms in advance is always recommended.
Harvest Time: The u-pick season in Brentwood is a highly anticipated time for visitors seeking fresh fruit. While it may cause some frustration for locals due to increased traffic, there’s no denying the appeal of picking your own fruit.
Previously, a free Harvest Time guide map was distributed at local businesses, but now all the information is conveniently available on the Harvest Time website, harvestforyou.com. Local residents recommend the website to find their preferred fruit and farms, eliminating the need to drive around aimlessly and contribute to traffic congestion.
“Living here for 15 years now, I know the best farms to go to and when is the best time to stay away from the u-pick areas,” Brentwood resident Sally Willard said. “The traffic can be a bear in that area, and some people are spending so much time watching for the u-pick signs they aren’t paying enough attention to the road in front of them.”
Willard says she always recommends that people coming from out of the area check out the Harvest Time site and plug the address of their farm of choice into their GPS system to navigate themselves to the farms.
The Harvest Time website offers details on cherry orchards, as well as other fruit and vegetable farms and stands. East County is also famous for corn, strawberries, berries, peaches and apricots, which will be available throughout the spring and summer. To see which area farms are open now, simply visit harvestforyou.com/interactive-map.
Roni Gehlke can be reached at oakleynow@comcast.net.