Jennifer Johnson flashes a wide-eyed smile as she inspects her Bentley-area orchard. Cherries, her favourite fruit, hang from branches like Christmas lights – more so than usual this year.

This year has been a gift to the Little Cherries on the Prairie farm, located one mile south of Highway 12 on Rge Rd 20. Growing conditions have been perfect for cherries -- hot and dry, Johnson says.

Moisture has come at the right time as well.

“It’s come at night. We’ve gotten anywhere from an inch to two inches at a time and right when it’s starting to get dry, so the cherries have just flourished like we’ve never seen before,” she says.

Johnson hopes the rain holds off. At this point, precipitation would dilute the flavour or split the fruit, she says.

The entrance to the Little Cherries on the Prairie orchard outside Bentley on Rge Rd 20, one mile south of Highway 12.

However, what she does welcome, are visitors. Johnson says she’s received plenty of them this weekend for Alberta Open Farm Days, a province-wide event where farmers, ranchers and all kinds of agri-businesses showcase their operations to the public. Guests are able to see and taste locally-sourced food.

It’s the third year that Johnson has participated in Open Farm Days. She wants visitors to leave with an appreciation for the work it takes to run an agri-business, as well as a connection to the fruits of the land.

“I hope they walk away being as in love with these cherries as we are. We think they’re the best fruit that you could put in your mouth. We love them,” she says.

She and her husband Dwayne are first generation orchard farmers. Both grew up on grain farms. They run Little Cherries on the Prairie with their four children.

They grow five different varieties, named Romeo, Juliet, Crimson, Cupid and Valentine. Each one lends itself to a different use, from processing, juicing, to fresh eating.

“Our sweetest ones are definitely for fresh eating. That would include Crimson and the Cupids which will be ready in about two weeks. This year, our Romeos have outperformed everything else and they’re a really great fresh-eating cherry this year,” Johnson says.

“Valentines are always our juicing cherry. They’re the most productive ones and we’re looking forward to having a big juicing … our Juliets are always what we use for processing. They have a high acid and high sugar (content) so they’re super flavourful and very good for jams, sauces and pies.”

Johnson's farm grows five different cherry varieties.

Along with cherries, the Johnsons grow pears, apples and a few plums.

In a few years, Johnson plans to expand the orchard to eight acres from its current quarter-acre. By then, most of it would be used for commercial harvesting. But there will still be space for u-pick and selling farm-direct. Plucking cherries by hand is part of the farm’s attraction, after all.

On the way out, a family arrives. Johnson makes eye contact and greets them with a smile. They step into the bounty.