Hundreds turn out to enjoy inaugural Blossom Tour.

The inaugural Leelanau County Blossom Tour brought hundreds of people to the peninsula to gaze upon our cherry blossoms, which are nearing full bloom.

PARTICIPANTS IN the Leelanau County Blossom Tour take photos of cherry blossoms at Cherry Bay Orchards.

Visitors from as far away as Ohio and downstate made their way to the tour organized by the Leelanau Conservancy, Leelanau Conservation District and the Leelanau Enterprise.

Anxious tourists began gathering at the Connie Binsfeld Resource Center more than an hour before Bay Area Transportation Authority buses were scheduled to depart for tours that presented a look at fruit growers’ way of life.

LENNY MCNEIL of Lake Leelanau performed at
the Leelanau County Blossom Tour Saturday at the
Connie Binsfeld Resource Center. At right, 21/2-
year-old Lena VerSnyder watches the festivities
after eating a hot dog. She is the daughter of
Kevin and Kathleen VerSnyder of Lake Leelanau.

“I thought I knew a lot about fruit growing already,” said John Hoeffler, a longtime seasonal resident who recently relocated from Birmingham to the Suttons Bay area. He and his wife were among the hundreds who loaded onto BATA buses and were given tours by guides Judy Egeler, Jim Nugent, Larry Mawby and Jim Bardenhagen. “I’m surrounded by growers. But this tour really explained a lot more about their way of life.”

Highlights on the trip were stops at St. Wenceslaus church in Gill’s Pier, which offers a breathtaking vantage point from which to view blooming orchards as well as North Lake Leelanau, Pyramid Point, Good Harbor Bay and Sleeping Bear Point. Another stop, at Cherry Bay Orchards, gave tourists a look at the cherry industry from the viewpoint of the growers. The Gregory brothers — Don and Bob — prepared a display of equipment and different varieties of cherries.

“I have a much greater appreciation of what these people do,” Hoeffler said.

Don Gregory of CHerry Bay Orchards (above), and his brother Bob, Provide insight to the Blossom Tour participants.

Dozens of people enjoyed the music of Lake Leelanau’s Lenny McNeil while they waited in line for the next bus to arrive.

“People enjoyed the tour so much, that we had a hard time getting the buses back in time so they ran a little late,” Enterprise publisher Alan Campbell said. “We thank all those who came and waited patiently. Lenny did a great job entertaining them while they waited.”

An estimated three hundred people were served cherry brats, and another 75 ate hotdogs.

“It was a wonderful luncheon,” said Marge Nardone of Warren, Mich. She was visiting her daughter in Bear Lake last weekend when a friend who read about the blossom tour called about making the “road trip”.

Also taking advantage of the Mother’s Day weekend outing were Nicole Crouch and her 2-year-old son Maddox of Ohio, her mother Lynnette Wardell of Blair Township, and Lynnette’s sister and brother-in-law, Sheri and Jason Ritter of Suttons Bay.

“What a great day,” Sheri Ritter said.

New to blossom time were Stu and Sue Waresen of Cutlerville, south of Grand Rapids.

“We come up each year for the fall colors, but have never been here for blossoms,” Stu Waresen said. “I read about it in the Enterprise and we had to come up for it.”

BATA BUSES transported Blossom Tour participants to St. Wenceslaus Church and Cherry Bay Orchards (left), where they received information about cherry farming. At the Connie Binsfeld Resource Center (right), bratwurst, hotdogs, cookies and punch were served.

Organizers are scheduled to reconvene this week to talk about the event and make plans for a second tour in 2009. Anyone with suggestions can direct them to the Enterprise at 256-9827, or the Conservation District at 256-9783 or the Conservancy at 256-9665.

Maps identifying orchards on the tour are still available at the three sponsor organizations. Commemorative color posters are also available at the Enterprise office, 7200 E. Duck Lake Rd. in Lake Leelanau.