All farmers count on a bad year every now and then. Two could be chalked up to bad luck. But a third bad year in a row might spell trouble for the cherry growers of the Flathead Valley.  

Last year, cherry growers were optimistic. The 2024 season ended before it began when freezing April temperatures damaged blooming cherry blossoms and caused a near-total loss. In the spring of 2025, though, the late frost never materialized, and pleasant weather promised a large harvest. 

Then, on July 15, 2025, a freak windstorm hit Flathead Lake. 

Bruce Johnson, owner of Buena Vista Orchards and board member of Flathead Cherry Grower’s Co-op, could only watch as 40 miles per hour gusts of wind whistled through his lakefront orchard for 10 hours. Up to 50 pounds of cherries on each tree banged against each other, bruising the delicate, ripe fruit. 

“Last year, the season was bad,” Johnson said. "I did not ship any fruit because all of ours was damaged. And it's really tragic when you spend all this time pruning right and getting the bees right, and they were in great shape. And then we had a windstorm, and we had rainstorms and it damaged all the fruit.”

Not every orchard along Flathead Lake’s east shore was pummeled by the wind, but none escaped the deluge of rain that followed.  

“Cherries will take a little bit of rain, but if you get too much on it, they try and absorb too much of the moisture,” explained Johnson. "They'll crack or split, and bruises and splits mean a culled cherry. For what we're trying to do here, selling on the fresh market, you just kill it.” 

Johnson said half of the co-op's 70 orchards did not ship fruit last year, and those who did ship their cherries saw poor returns. In a good year, Flathead cherry growers sell as much as 3 million pounds. In 2025, that number fell to 1.6 million pounds.  

THIS YEAR, Johnson is hesitant to make any predictions about the upcoming harvest. Consistently warmer summer temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns mean a good crop isn’t guaranteed, even after surviving the danger of spring freezes.  

This year’s mild winter isn’t necessarily a good sign for cherry growers, either. Not only do they have to worry about the weather, but the timing of their cherry harvest also plays a large role in their success. In the global market, a few days can make a world of difference.  

Flathead cherries are a big deal in Montana, in large part because the relatively mild shores of Flathead Lake create the only climate where cherries can be successfully grown in the state. During the summer months, cherry stands are inescapable. 

But, in the national cherry landscape, Flathead cherries hardly register. To the west, cherry behemoth Washington state produces more than 500 million pounds of cherries annually. A good year in the Flathead Valley will produce one half of one percent of that figure. 

Without the Flathead Cherry Grower’s Co-op, most of the orchards along Flathead Lake would never be able to sell their cherries beyond Montana. The co-op was formed in the 1930s to give these small orchards a leg up while competing with commercial operations.  

The 70 orchards in the co-op pool their crop each year and sell to Monson Fruit Company in Selah, Washington. Monson processes, packages and markets the cherries, which are sold around the world.  

Ideally, Flathead cherries hit the market one or two weeks after the flood of Washington cherries. If they enter the market at the same time, the price is significantly lower due to excess supply. With cooler temperatures and a later spring in Montana relative to Washington, it often works out that the Flathead Lake cherries are a bit behind those to the west.  

This year, though, Johnson said his orchard is a week ahead of schedule due to the mild winter. He’s heard orchards in Washington might also be ahead of schedule, but it’s impossible not to worry about how the early blossoms will impact cherry prices come late July. Even if the delicate fruit survives to harvest time, a late crop in Washington could change the season’s outlook at the last minute. 

If the weather and markets cooperate, Johnson said cherry growers still must fight to stay in the black. The costs associated with agriculture have increased: everything from fuel to fertilizer to labor is more expensive. Very few cherry growers in the Flathead Valley rely on their orchards as their primary income, but finances seem to grow tighter every year, he said. 

In the face of several discouraging years in a row, Flathead cherry growers will rely on the reputation of Montana cherries. Johnson said he regularly hears that cherries grown under the Big Sky are sweeter and taste better than those from other regions.  

There’s nothing unique about the varieties. While many people often assume Flathead cherries are a different kind altogether, most orchards grow standard varieties developed in Canada, which are better adapted to the cold Montana winters. 

Buyers also believe in the quality of the cherries grown along Flathead Lake. Large grocery stores like Costco and Walmart sell boxes labeled “Montana cherries” and pay $1 per pound more than they do for Washington cherries.  

Johnson can’t predict what this year’s season will bring for cherry growers, but if the weather, bugs or markets don’t get them, he said there’s always bears to worry about. 

“Bears, if they’re hungry, they love to climb in the cherry tree and eat the cherries."  

Reporter Elsa Ericksen can be reached at 406-758-4459 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.

    Bruce Johnson looks over a young sweetheart cherry tree with his puppy Stryder at Buena Vista Orchard on Thursday, April 24. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider