Don’t be surprised if you start seeing lots of activity at the Murray Family Farms stands around town in the weeks ahead. That’s because the cherries that this farm is known for are ripening now. In the past 30 years, Murray Family Farms has expanded from growing 2 acres of Brooks and Tulare cherry trees to cultivating 35 varieties on 180 acres of land. Steven Murray Jr. says each kind of cherry has a unique size, color and sweetness. The farm plans to bring two new varieties to market each week until the season ends in early June.
Steven Murray Jr. picked the year’s first fruit on March 28, which is unusually early for the start of the cherry season. But he’s not complaining: “That’s our whole game: Try to get [them] as early as possible and keep good quality.”