Elfin Works Orchard
At Elfin Works Orchard, we cultivate a little over three acres in Bozeman, Montana. We grow honeyberries (or haskaps), gooseberries, aronia berries, plums, and FE, our own newly patent-pending pie cherry. Plus apples and pears in the near future.
We will sell fresh picked, bulk frozen berries for processing, and offer you-pick opportunities.
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YOU-PICK Mornings by Appointment Only — Great Family Activity
You-pick continues Mondays-Fridays and some Saturdays from 7am-noon. Currently pie cherries, gooseberries and honeyberries/haskaps. Please contact us before stopping by.
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Berries Available Year Round
Whether fresh or frozen, we have supplies available until we sell out, but we may have frozen supplies all year.
Contact Us
Sharon McCartney for questions about you-pick and stopping by: 406-579-8046
Les McCartney for all other questions: 406-600-7726
lesmccartney@yahoo.com
Les McCartney of Bozeman, MT, in collaboration with HoneyberryUSA, has announced the release of a new, patent-pending ‘FE’ pie cherry plant. The new cherry has been grown for over sixty years by McCartney's family, who says it is “truly a family treasure, and we can’t wait for others to enjoy the same great taste that has been a part of our history for so many years.”
2025 PRESS RELEASE: HoneyBerryUSA Announces New Pie Cherry
March 17, 2025 BAGLEY, MN — HoneyberryUSA is proud to announce the release of a new patent-pending tart cherry from Montana — the ‘FE’ pie cherry. An extremely cold hardy, unique and flavorful variety, the ‘FE’ (patent pending) pie cherry is now available for sale at honeyberryusa.com.
The journey to the ‘FE’ (patent pending) cherry began in the 1960s when Frances McCartney (known affectionately as "Momma McCartney") planted a grafted North Star cherry tree in her garden in Great Falls, MT. A new variety was discovered after suckers were left to grow to replace the original grafted portion of the tree that was dying. Later more suckers were planted in Bozeman in the 1990s. All of these new trees produced cherries with a darker flesh and even better flavor. Les McCartney, a
lifelong fruit tree enthusiast, continued to grow and observe the development of the trees over the years.
In 2014, a trusted tree friend and expert came to Les with praise for the tree’s resilience and exceptional taste. The friend declared it the “King of Cherries” and encouraged Les to propagate the variety. This was the final piece of the puzzle, confirming that the McCartney family cherry was truly special and worthy of being shared with the world.
Now, after decades of research and testing, Les is proud to announce the patent-pending ‘FE’ cherry, named in honor of his mother, Frances Elizabeth McCartney. The ‘FE’ (patent pending) pie cherry is a Prunus cerasus (tart cherry) that boasts a balanced sweet-tart flavor profile and excellent versatility for fresh eating, baking, and wine-making. The fruit’s flesh is a distinctive yellowish-pink, darkening upon freezing or processing, while the skin and juice are bright red. Hardy to at least -45°F, it grows 8-12 feet tall and 8 feet or more wide in tree form. Fruit size runs 4-5g with a Brix rating of 17-21.
To purchase the ‘FE’ (patent pending) pie cherry, and to learn more about the McCartney family’s unique journey, visit honeyberryusa.com or call 218-331-8070.
Headquartered in Bagley, MN, HoneyberryUSA is a licensed grower and distributor of many varieties of zone 3 cold hardy specialty fruits such as honeyberries, tart cherries, saskatoons (service berries), currants, kiwi, seaberries, and more. In addition to their mail-order nursery, they welcome the public to their U-Pick Farm.
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Thank you for your support!
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Photo credits: Les McCartney