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BAGLEY — HoneyberryUSA recently announced the release of a new patent-pending tart cherry from Montana, the "FE" pie cherry, which is now available for sale at the Bagley farm.

Headquartered in Bagley, 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 each summer.

According to a release, an extremely cold-hardy, unique and flavorful variety, the journey to the "FE" (patent pending) cherry began in the 1960s when Francis McCartney (known affectionately as "Momma McCartney") planted a grafted North Star cherry tree in her garden in Great Falls, Montana.

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, the release said.

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 McCartney with praise for the tree’s resilience and exceptional taste," the release said. "The friend declared it the 'King of Cherries' and encouraged him 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 McCartney is proud to announce the patent-pending ‘FE’ cherry, named in honor of his mother, Francis Elizabeth McCartney," the release added.

The FE 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 release said.

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 degrees below zero, it grows 8-12 feet tall and 8 feet or more wide in tree form. Fruit size runs 4 to 5 grams with a Brix rating of 17-21.

To purchase this new pie cherry and to learn more about the McCartney family’s journey, visit or call Jim or Bernis Ingvaldson at (218) 331-8070.