Though the first sought-after Flathead Lake cherries won't be picked for about a month, the crop is looking a little above average, according the head of the growers' association, Dale Nelson.

He said the yield looks on target to hit about 3 million pounds, which is above the average of about 2.5 million pounds.

"It looks like we'll have a little above average, good-size, healthy-looking crop," he said.

Nelson said that despite plenty of runoff and precipitation around some parts of the Valley, cherry orchards along the East Shore of Flathead Lake are much drier than usual.

"It's about the driest I can remember having it out here," he said. "We've been irrigating for two and a half weeks already."

Mid-June is one of the first good looks growers get at how many cherries will be ready for harvest next month because any fruit that didn't get pollinated turns red and drops off the tree.

Nelson estimated that the first cherries — from orchards near Finley Point and the South Shore of the Lake — could be harvested as early as July 19 with large-scale harvesting starting around July 23 or 24.

Nelson said the orchards tend to be ready for harvest starting south and moving steadily toward the Bigfork area.

The growers association has big plans for this year's cherries, too, as they will continue a promotion to market the fruit they started last year with retail behemoth Wal-Mart.

"It's our second year in a row for this special promotion," Nelson said. "They've even designed a special label for Flathead Lake cherries."

Nelson said the Montana fruit occupies an interesting niche in the cherry market because the fruit is among the last to be harvested in the country. Thanks to the high altitude, Montana cherries ripen up to a full week after the harvests in Washington state and elsewhere.

"Washington and Oregon are wrapping up by July 20," Nelson said. "Everybody loves the Montana buzz and the late season."

And though the fruit itself might be delicious, Nelson said there's just something about Montana that works well for retailers all over the country and even as far away as Asia.

"We have promotions in Ohio and Indiana and they said people see that Montana thing and they just have to come into the store and check it out," Nelson said. "We're just trying to capitalize on that Montana buzz. It's one thing we have that no one else does."

Nelson estimated cherries would start appearing along the ubiquitous roadside stands on Highway 35 by July 22.