The cherry is the state fruit of Utah. Many varieties of both sweet and sour cherries are grown here. 2 billion harvested annually. Another reason to like this place.
We moved to Salt Lake City last year into a house that has two cherry trees in our yard (and a small pear tree and two apple trees). Last June/July we were fortunate to have an amazing crop from those two trees. I picked the ones above right around this time last year - a little early as they continued to ripen for another two weeks. But they were still good. Last year for an Independence Day cookout I made cherry crisp with fruit from the trees. It was so good. I plan to make a lot of that this year. I still have frozen cherries in my freezer from last year's crop. Here is an interesting document about cherries, including tips for freezing, canning, drying, etc. them from the Utah State University Extension Program.
The cherries in my yard seem to be ripening a little later this year. They are still turning red. About another 10-14 days is my prediction - perfect because we will be back from our trip. Then I will be drowning myself in cherries.
Cherries are one of my favorite fruits. Where I grew up in Pennsylvania there were many fruit orchards, including cherries. When I was a teenager I picked cherries one summer for a job, briefly, because it was a fun way to hang out with friends and make a little money. It was A LOT of work for very little money. You got something like 10 cents per bucket - I can't remember the exact amount, but trust me, it was pitiful. It was a lot of work to fill a bucket. So, we were doing it more for the fun and the experience than the money. I have memories of being on ladders up in the cherry trees and cherry fights around the orchards. Fond memories.
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