Spring Update

How the crop is looking and such

Greetings from Muirhead Canning, I hope that you are well and nothing is chasing you. Things are good here at the cannery and the season is coming on quickly.

The cherry bloom is early but no earlier than last year. If you are interested in tracking the progress of the cherry trees Dillon has been posting pictures once a week (at least) to the Hood Crest Fruit Facebook page. Feel free to check it out and give him some love if you appreciate that kind of thing. Here is my own attempt from the orchard this morning.

These blossoms won’t last much longer. I highly suggested finding an orchard near you and trying to find some inner peace.

I will be delivering orders for the spring delivery over the next couple of weeks. I am getting a lot of jars in next week and so will have enough to finish canning and meeting orders. We used to get these jars individually stacked in the container, it takes way too long though to unload 60,000 jars (about 10 hours for 4 people). Between the labor and the truck charges (every hour the truck is here over 2 hours costs $100/hr) I decided to order the boxes already palletized. Fewer boxes in one load but the savings makes it worth it.

Fonetia made the Blueberry, Marionberry, and Strawberry preserves this last week. So far we are getting rave reviews. I am excited to have these to offer and also to put these on Sunday morning biscuits. This is something you don’t get buying from the grocery store. If you want the best at a good price you won’t go wrong.

I have heard from a peach grower that with the warm dry spring (too dry) that the peaches are blossoming and it looks like a good crop. Last year was a huge crop so my guess is this year will be fewer peaches on the tree but an excellent size. Hopefully the crop will be at least a week later for harvest but I have learned that I need to be ready to go by the middle of August.

I want to make a few changes to the exhaust box, and if I have the time, how we cook the cans. I will keep you updated as that progresses. If you did still want an order for spring delivery please call by Monday and I’ll see if I can fit you into the schedule. If you want to drive up, enjoy the blossoms, and get some excellent canned fruit I have suggestions:) Come on up, just remember that we are closed on Saturdays (until June 1st).

Sincerely,

Russell Loughmiller, Cherry Blossom Specialist

Muirhead Canning Co

541-965-0363