IT'S CHERRY PICKIN' TIME IN THE LEONA VALLEY.Byline: Peggy Hager Staff Writer LEONA VALLEY - Cherry orchards begin opening next weekend to the springtime influx of visitors from all over Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, - and even from Japan and Europe - coming to pick cherries ripe from the trees. The crop will be smaller than usual at some orchards, ironically because of Southern California's record rains: the honeybees necessary to pollinate pol·li·nate also pol·len·ate tr.v. pol·li·nat·ed also pol·len·at·ed, pol·li·nat·ing also pol·len·at·ing, pol·li·nates also pol·len·ates To transfer pollen from an anther to the stigma of (a flower). the cherry blossoms
Cherry Blossoms is one of the oldest and largest international marriage agencies still in operation today. to create fruit don't like to come out of their hives hives (urticaria), rash consisting of blotches or localized swellings (wheals) of the skin, caused by an allergic reaction (see allergy). The swelling is caused by distention of the skin capillaries and escape of serum and white cells into the skin and tissues. in the bad weather. ``Windy days, cloudy days, rainy days Rainy Days itself isn't an official XYZ release, it's a collection of demo tapes from 1985 which has been released by guitarist Bobby Pieper, who recorded the said demos with the band. , they don't work: very strong union,'' joked cherry grower Jim Bonn, Leona Valley's annual cherry festival parade chairman. ``It's just Mother Nature doing her thing. She likes to sit back and laugh at you once in a while.'' Some orchards' crops are down about 40 percent, which he said still leaves plenty of cherries. ``We don't have a full crop because of the wet weather,'' Bonn said. ``There's certainly enough for the first two or three weekends ... Some orchards came through it really good; others were kind of hurt.'' Grower Ronda Rhodes, whose 10-acre orchard will open June 11, expects a big crop. A late-April frost caused damage to some trees, but she didn't have any problem from lack of pollination pollination, transfer of pollen from the male reproductive organ (stamen or staminate cone) to the female reproductive organ (pistil or pistillate cone) of the same or of another flower or cone. . She regularly pays beekeepers to place their hives among her trees to pollinate them. ``We have an overabundance o·ver·a·bun·dance n. A going or being beyond what is needed, desired, or appropriate; an excess: teenagers with an overabundance of energy. . It's like a bumper crop, because of the rain I suppose,'' said Rhodes. ``To rely on Mother Nature is not always the best.'' Blessed with an altitude and climate suited for cherries, Leona Valley has some 30 ``U-pick'' cherry ranches where visitors can enjoy the country atmosphere and pick the fruit themselves. The first U-pick orchard began selling to visitors in 1964. Despite urbanization creeping west from Palmdale, new orchards are continuing to open. Some orchards will open Saturday for cherry picking Cherry Picking 1. The act of investors choosing investments that have performed well within another portfolio in anticipation that the trend will continue. 2. Relating to bankruptcy proceedings whereby the courts uphold contracts favorable to bankrupt companies, but annul . The rest should be open by June 11 in time for the annual cherry parade and festival. The parade will start at 10 a.m. June 11 along Leona Avenue south of Elizabeth Lake Road. For information on which orchards are open and for maps to them, go to the Web site www.cherriesupic.com. Orchard-opening information is also on Leona Valley's recorded cherry hotline at (661) 266-7116. Peggy Hager, (661) 267-5741 peggy.grimm-hager(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) The Rhodes family - Neal, 11, left, Ronnie 8, mom Ronda and dad Tony check cherries last week in their orchard in the Leona Valley, which will be opening to tourists this weekend. Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer |
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