Introducing Over the Hill Orchards

Did you know they can grow cherries in Saskatchewan?

From Dean and Sylvia Kreutzer, the owners of Over the Hill Orchard and makers of Prairie Cherry products:

"The cherries we grow have been bred at the University of Saskatchewan by crossing the Mongolian cherry (Prunus fruticosa) with the Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) to create a wonderful fruit that is totally adapted to our harsh climate. Prairie Cherries bloom in mid-late May and depending on the cultivar, ripen from late July until late August. Here at Over the Hill Orchards, we are doing breeding with different selections of Prairie Cherries to continue to improve the fruit quality. Prairie Cherries are used for fresh eating, pies, dried, juice, and are canned."

About Prairie Cherry Splash:

If you are able to find cherry juice in the stores, you'll know that it doesn't taste very cherry-like. Some juices don't even have any real cherry juice in them. Companies don't cherry juice from cherries because it's expensive; it takes approximately 5 pounds of cherries to make 1 litre of cherry juice concentrate. No one wants to 'sacrifice' cherries for juice when there are so many other, and more profitable products that can be made with them.

At Over the Hill Orchards, they consider cherry juice to be a very important product, not only for its high quality, but its health benefits. It is difficult to get a product that is more rich in anti-oxidants than cherry juice.

Prairie Cherry Splash isn't 100% pure cherry juice, as that would be much too strong. After lots of taste testing and trial and error, they've created a drink that is the perfect blend of sweet and tart.

Prairie Cherry Splash is now available from Green Earth Organics! Regular price is $10.90, but it is on sale until the end of February for $10.35. Also, check out Prairie Cherry Spread: regular: $8.30, on sale for $7.89.