Nanking Cherries!

My Nanking cherries are ready!   I have not had a good crop of these wonderful cherries for several years now.  For a few years we have had freezing temps when the bushes were in blossom, and all of the blossoms died.  And even this year I was afraid I would have none of them because of the tent caterpillars this spring.  But the birds took care of the bugs for me, and the good Lord blessed me with a truly bumper crop of these cherries this summer!  We planted these bush cherries about 8 years ago, starting with small bare root cuttings only about 15 inches high.  Now the bushes are about 7 feet tall and thick with branches.   I have 6 good sized cherry bushes.  Usually every summer the birds eat most of the crop, and even the deer and bears get them.  But this year I was able to harvest the fruit before any of the critters got to them!  And what a huge crop!  I am just thrilled, as these little tasty cherries make a wonderful juice, and even better jelly.   Nanking cherries are smaller than regular tree cherries, but they have an intense cherry flavor.  Today I picked a pail full of them, enough for a couple batches of jelly.   There is still plenty of fruit left on the bushes, not quite ripe, and if the birds don't beat me to them I will be able to pick another pail full later on next week.  I spent an hour picking these this morning, listening to the birds "scolding" me.

Nanking cherries do not 'hang' from the branch, but grow closely attached to the branches of the bush.  They are ready to pick when deep red, and when they taste sweet.  They are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter. 

Every branch of the bushes are just loaded with cherries!

One of the "farm hands" who came to "help" me.

A pail full of these sweet delicious beauties!