Do you offer U-Pick?

Yes. Cherrywood Orchard offers U-Pick cherries from mid to late July. Visitors can enjoy the views of Flathead Lake and the Mission Mountains while picking fresh Flathead Skeena cherries straight from the tree.

When are Flathead cherries in season?

Flathead cherries are harvested once a year from late July through early August. At Cherrywood Orchard, we grow the Skeena variety, which ripens later than some other Flathead varieties but is not the very latest harvest.

What fruit do you ship?

We currently ship only Flathead Skeena cherries and Italian plums. In the future, we plan to offer pears as well. We do not ship tart cherries or Rainier cherries because their delicate skins do not hold up during transit.

How do I order Flathead cherries for shipping?

All cherry orders are pre-orders for the upcoming harvest. Many customers mistakenly expect cherries to be available year-round, but cherries are only harvested once each summer. When you place an order, you are reserving fruit from the next crop, which is picked, packed, and shipped between late July and early August. Once your order leaves the orchard, you’ll receive a shipping notification with tracking information.

What is the shipping timeline?

Cherry harvest begins in late July, and all pre-orders are shipped by early August. To ensure freshness, we ship only Monday through Wednesday so that deliveries arrive within one to two days after leaving the orchard. UPS shipping costs are calculated at checkout.

How are cherries shipped?

Orders are available in five- or seven-pound boxes of premium Flathead Skeena cherries. The fruit is pre-chilled and packed in insulated boxes with cold packs to preserve freshness during transit.

Do you ship outside Montana?

Yes. We deliver to the contiguous 48 states, excluding California, via UPS Next Day Air or 2nd Day Air. For Montana residents, we offer a discounted in-state shipping option.

What is a Flathead cherry?

Flathead cherries are sweet red cherries grown in the unique climate around Flathead Lake, Montana. The cool nights and warm days create ideal conditions for producing large, flavorful fruit. While several varieties thrive in the region, Cherrywood Orchard specializes in Skeena cherries, which are known for their size, sweetness, and deep flavor.

What does “regeneratively grown” mean?

Our fruit is regeneratively grown, meaning we farm in a way that builds soil health, supports pollinators, and protects the land for future harvests. Regenerative farming goes beyond conventional and organic farming by restoring the soil and ecosystem. For you, this means enjoying fruit with better flavor and nutrition while supporting farming practices that heal the land.

How are you regenerative verified?

Cherrywood Orchard is Regenerative Verified through SoilRegen. Their two-step process includes certified soil testing to confirm soil biology and organic matter are improving, along with production management verification to ensure our practices build living soil rather than deplete it. To our knowledge, Cherrywood Orchard is the first regeneratively verified Flathead cherry orchard around Flathead Lake, achieving verification in May 2025.

What regenerative practices do you use?

We take a holistic approach to soil health, plant nutrition, and pest management. Based on detailed soil test results, we plant a diverse cover crop mix, including annual ryegrass, daikon radish, crimson clover, and white clover. This mix not only helps prevent erosion and improve soil structure but also naturally adds nitrogen and other nutrients back into the soil, supporting the health and vigor of our fruit trees.

We supplement the soil with compost and natural amendments such as algae, worm castings, and chicken manure, while cutting back on synthetic fertilizers and eliminating herbicides entirely. Watering is done deeply but infrequently to encourage strong, resilient root systems that can access nutrients more effectively. When treatments are necessary, we rely only on OMRI-listed products approved for organic production.

To encourage natural pest control, we’ve installed bird boxes and a bat box, inviting insect-eating wildlife into the orchard to help manage pests naturally. Additionally, bee boxes have been added to enhance pollination, supporting both our fruit trees and our cover crops, which in turn improves yields and biodiversity across the orchard ecosystem.

Does regenerative mean organic?

No. Regenerative and organic farming share some similarities, but they are not the same. Organic farming focuses on eliminating synthetic inputs but does not necessarily require building soil health. Regenerative agriculture, on the other hand, actively improves soil health, supports ecosystems, and gradually reduces synthetic nitrogen—practices that together are essential for producing highly nutritious food. Growing food in soil that is rich in microbial activity and minerals results in healthier, more nutrient-dense produce.

Healthy Soil = More Nutritious Food
Studies show that regeneratively grown food often has higher nutrient density than conventionally or even organically grown food. One of our main goals in regenerative farming is to maximize the nutritional value of the fruit we grow.

For a quick comparison:
Conventional → Organic → Regenerative
Organic is better than conventional, but regenerative goes a step further by actively building soil health and increasing nutritional value.

Do you spray?

Spraying often gets a bad rap, with many people assuming it automatically means toxic chemicals. In reality, not all spraying is harmful. At Cherrywood Orchard, we sometimes spray natural foliar products, like algae, to help trees thrive and boost growth. Foliar sprays are a very effective way for plants to absorb nutrients, often faster than ground applications.

It’s important to know that all Flathead cherry orchards are sprayed, without exception. Under state law, Flathead and Lake Counties are allowed to establish a pest management area around Flathead Lake that extends two miles out in every direction. This law requires control of the Western cherry fruit fly, and the only effective way to manage this pest is through spraying.

Two types of products can be used: synthetic options and OMRI-listed products approved for organic production. At Cherrywood Orchard, we use OMRI-listed products—the same ones used by certified organic orchards. OMRI, which stands for the Organic Materials Review Institute, is a non-profit organization that reviews products to ensure they meet organic standards, helping producers identify materials appropriate for organic operations. By using OMRI-listed products, we follow the law and industry best practices while keeping our practices as safe and natural as possible.

What is your cancellation and refund policy?

Cherry orders and orders for other seasonal fruit can be canceled up to two weeks before harvest for a full refund. After that point, cancellations are not guaranteed since fresh fruit is perishable and harvest planning depends on pre-orders. If we are unable to fulfill your order due to crop loss or unforeseen circumstances, you will receive a full refund.