Ahead of Schedule?

It all depends what you consider to be on schedule, of course, but I'd like to think our orchard is coming into bloom a little earlier than we had expected -- given the cool, damp spring we were experiencing until ... oh, about two days ago.

It's certainly nothing like 2016, when we had a tree in full bloom at the end of the first week of April. But it's also a far cry from 2017, when we didn't have a tree in full bloom until the end of the first week in May. So maybe this is the 'sweet spot,' somewhere in between.

Any way you look at it, there isn't an orchardist anywhere worth her or his salt who isn't thrilled to see those first blooms open. It's going to be a great season!