CHERRIES A GROWING CONCERN; LEONA VALLEY FARMERS PLANT MORE TREES.

Byline: Karen Thacker Community Columnist 

Leona Valley's crop of cherry trees is growing.

Three new orchards have been planted in the past few years, and the two largest growers added hundreds of young trees this year.

``I think there's a great deal of personal satisfaction and reward in turning the ground into something productive,'' said Norm Jacobsen, a sales and marketing director for Lance Campers in Lancaster, one of the newcomers.

Jacobsen planted 200 trees four years ago, and now is up to 600. He expects to see his first cherry crop in 1999.

Jacobsen looks on working among the trees as an alternative to a rowing machine.

``I get my exercise maintenance in the orchard and get a lot of pleasure out of it,'' he said. ``Someday when I retire this will be a fun source of exercise, and there's some income, and it adds a great deal to the value of the property.''

Leona Valley on Saturday marks the official opening of cherry-picking season with its parade and festival, but few if any orchards will be open. Because spring was so cool and damp, growers say they expect to open June 20 or 27 - the latest in recent memory.

Leona Valley has 27 self-pick orchards - where customers climb ladders to pick the ripe fruit themselves - ranging from small 10- to 15-tree operations to a couple with 1,000 or more. The first cherry trees were planted in 1959 on Hobart Ranch.

Most of the orchards are owned by ``hobby farmers,'' as Nessa Ranch owner Ken Striplin calls them.

``They are usually retired, want a little extra income and a hobby,'' he said.

The valley has a wonderful climate for growing cherries, growers say. Rain is plentiful and most farmers have wells fed by the significant underground water supply. About 10 days of warm sunshine in May then allow the fruit to burst forth - except this year.

For Jack Hudson, a 54-year-old Federal Express employee, becoming a cherry farmer last February wasn't exactly what he had in mind, but owning a ranch was his intention.

His family settled on a neglected cherry orchard. The trees had not been pruned, many had died and last week he found a bad pump in his well. He has about 200 trees at his Blossom Hill Ranch and has had to replace about 50 so far.

``People think you just put them in the ground, they grow and people come pick them,'' he said. ``It's just not true - it's a lot more work than I thought.''

And that comes from someone born and raised on a farm.

``It's a lifestyle I prefer,'' he admits.

Jacobsen chose Leona Valley to settle and build his orchard because he wanted the rural lifestyle. He felt the valley was truly a community, not just a bunch of individuals.

Jacobsen planted a new semi-dwarf cherry tree variety that produces sooner, can be planted closer together and doesn't require ladders for customers to pick the fruit.

He's found a lot of help and advice for the challenges of farming - weeds, gophers, wind and bacteria.

But he still finds the experience immensely rewarding.

``When I go out and look at that orchard out there - I still get chills,'' he said. ``It's nice.''

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color in AV Edition only) Cherry grower Jack Hudson strolls around his orchard in Leona Valley. A gloomy spring has delayed much of this year's crop.

(2--Color in AV Edition only) Jack Hudson cradles a handful of ripe cherries grown at his Leona Valley farm.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News