1139 Forrester Rd
Frankfort MI, 49635
Phone dsjhdksdkjsds: 231-352-4865
Email: northstarorganics@live.com
Frankfort MI, 49635
Phone dsjhdksdkjsds: 231-352-4865
Email: northstarorganics@live.com
These days, everyone automatically correlates Northern Michigan to cherries. Not only is the area the number one cherry-producing capital of the world, but the nationally famous Cherry Festival is celebrated throughout the region every year. North Star Organics is proud to be part of this famous legacy, bringing delicious and fresh organic produce to people all over the state and country.
The Kobernik family brings their farming history and passion for cherries into everything they do. North Star Organics allows you to take a piece of that pride home with you.
Good news and not the best news: YES, we have organic dark and gold sweet cherries, and so far a good crop. Organic Montmorency tart cherries this year are the ‘not the best news’ – We had 8 nights of 28 degrees or so and those nights slowly froze many blossoms – but YES we belive we have enough tart cherries to meet the needs of our U Pick customers. FYI – this will be our 24rd year certified organic! Yup, before organic was cool.
Keep an eye on Instagram and Facebook for more updates.
Our thanks,
The Kobernik’s
Sigh…straight to the point…we have healthy trees; we have numerous leaves, and we have NO cherries. March brought several days of much too warm of temperatures then April brought days and days of freezing temperatures [talk to us about climate change!]. Out of 36 years in cherries, never had three back-to-back years of crop failure that was out of our control.
There will be no machine harvest [no organic frozen IQF or dried cherries] and no U Pick available to our glorious customers.
Some may think we ‘have the summer off”. Quite the contrary, we have received and spread our semi load of custom blended compost, the orchard floor needs constant attention, young trees are pruned, rose chafers hand picked off by the thousands, the sprayer sprays, old trees removed, pollinator habitat renewed and so much more. The work and expenses truck right along and so do we. We will be here next year with the optimism expressed in our 2020-year post.
Gratefully we, our family and nearest friends all endured and survived COVID-19 and our sympathies for those who faced greater pandemic challenges.
The Kobernik’s
First, we sincerely hope all of you are safe and well.
North Star’s great news: We will have U-Pick this year!
Details will follow in the next several days. Tentatively we are looking at opening for Sweet/tart cherries to be ready Wednesday, July 22nd.
North Star’s not so great news: we do not have enough tart cherries on our trees to warrant large scale harvest, that will mean there will be no IQF tart cherries and no dried cherries for another long year.
Again, more details to come!
The Kobernik’s
“The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn’t still be a farmer.”
We’re sad to announce that North Star Organics did not harvest the entire crop this year. Cherry farmers are faced with many tough decisions, and this season was particularly challenging for us. We take pride in providing high quality products, and the fruit this year was not able to meet our standards.
We will have frozen organic tart cherries in August 2020 and dried organic cherries in September 2020.
AND we will now enter our 21st year organic and 35th year growing those cherries with renewed fortitude. Our thanks to all those who have offered such support and encouragement.
Organically yours,
Alan & Cheryl Kobernik
CHRISTOPHER BAKER ON NORTHSTAR ORGANICS
Famous film and video producer, Christopher Baker, was inspired by the Kobernik’s cherry farm when he visited. He created this montage of footage to celebrate the region’s favorite fruit and the pride and joy the Kobernik’s take in running their orchard.
Sadly, we do not have any products available to purchase at this time.
Check back with us in August 2022 for frozen organic tart cherries and September 2022 for dried organic cherries!
We are organically grown on a small family farm on a peaceful hillside in picturesque Northern Michigan. We are proudly raised for you by Alan, Cheryl, Emily and Eric and committed family and friends. They meticulously tend our soil, carefully prune our limbs, vigilantly defend us from harm and ultimately harvest us. Our stewards carefully oversee us being washed, sorted, pitted, packed and dried. We are very proud of our farm family that is committed to responsible and just decisions in all aspects of their lives. We find their commitment is the only way for all to thrive. Please enjoy us and thanks for supporting organic farms.
Family owned and operated 40 acre cherry orchard in Northern Michigan. 100% Certified organic for 20 years. Tart and sweet cherries: fresh, frozen, and dried available.
Committed to producing grade A quality fresh, frozen and dried cherries. Sweet and Montmorency Tart Cherry U-Pick in the month of July - call or visit our U-Pick Page for dates and availability.
We are verified by The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program, an innovative, proactive program that helps farms of all sizes and all commodities voluntarily prevent or minimize agricultural pollution risks.
Photos from Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan's post
Excited to work with the crew from Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan Healthy Harvesters (Food Rescue and Goodwill Northern Michigan) to glean a total of 116 pounds of sweet cherries this summer.
The gleaning was slightly different than others (and really fun), since all the cherries were high up in the trees after a VERY busy U-Pick season!
According to the Food Rescue website, over 1/3 of households in their five-county region struggle with access to healthy food. Please consider supporting their efforts to rescue, harvest, repack, and distribute 2 million pounds per year to over 70 food pantries and community meal sites in the area.
Our new dinner bell (from the Buckley Old Engine Show!) signals that it's time to get off our ladders and empty our buckets... It's the end of another great U-Pick season.
Whether it's an annual tradition, or your first time picking cherries, we were so happy to have you at the farm this year.
Thank you for being patient with our small, family-operated business as we navigated yet another record-setting year!
Let us know if you have any favorite U-Pick memories in the comments, and we'll see you next year! 🍒❤️
We're officially OPEN on all platforms now! Google finally took down the "Temporarily closed" label.
Thank you to everyone that has come by anyway, and those that will come through the rest of the week!
Open through Sunday, July 16th, 9a-6p everyday.
Dear 2023 U-Pickers,
We love our pets and probably would love yours too, however, we request that you please leave Mr. Fluff at home when you come to pick cherries this year.
Thank you for understanding,
NSO
