Flathead cherry growers hope for some luck in 2026

Ripe cherries sit on the tree waiting to be picked at Bowman Orchards south of Bigfork.

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

by ELSA ERICKSEN
Daily Inter Lake | April 19, 2026 12:05 AM

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.

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