ROCHESTER, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – Hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses, over half of a cherry crop loss and one Metro Detroit fruit farm is trying to remain optimistic about the future of the fruit growing in Southeast Michigan

A look at the cherry trees at Schramm’s Orchards in Rochester will tell you that it’s been a rough spring.

“That’s the thing about mother nature is that you just don’t get to decide,” says Sarah Schramm, an orchardist at Schramm’s Orchards.

A 70% loss this season in cherries is due to an up-and-down spring when it comes to the forecast.

“Every day, it threatened to dip below freezing since maybe the second week of March. The cherries can withstand a certain temperature down to about 28,” Schramm told CBS News Detroit.

When you dip lower than that, like what Schramm’s Orchards saw, it can make for a devastating loss of cherries that they say will add up to over $100,000 in losses.

“You don’t find a lot of fruit growers at the casino. This is pretty much how we live our lives. We gamble on the weather which is even way worse odds than roulette or blackjack,” said Nels Velliquette, a fruit grower in northwestern Michigan, where cherry farms are in no shortage.

He says economically, the price of cherries and products from them can fluctuate annually depending on how successfully a crop turns out.

“Everything costs more money these days but I would encourage people to look at the root cause of what those costs are. It’s one thing if you’re paying more for paper towel or toilet paper. It’s another thing if you’re paying more for a specialty crop from somebody who you know, who is putting money right back into your community,” Velliquette said

Schramm said the loss will not impact pricing. The meadery announced Friday that one of its most popular meads, “Statement Reserve,” is releasing from what they said was a bountiful harvest of Schaerbeek cherries last season. The same cherries took a massive hit this season.

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Students and families joined the Michigan After-school Partnership Thursday to meet with lawmakers.

The goal of this is to expand access to after-school programs.

The organization advocates for high-quality after-school programs across the state.

“we’ve got Decades of research that shows that youth that partakes in after-school programs are will have better math scores reading scores science scores,” said Erin Skene-Partt, Director of Michigan After-school Partnership. “They might have increased in attendance, help with behavioral issues, really help their leadership skills, all across the board.”

Last month the state house proposed a $75 million investment dedicated to after-school programs.

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Now that Michigan has wrapped up its spring football period, the U-M staff has transitioned focus to the recruiting world, sending out offers left and right over the past week. Overall, the Wolverines are targeting some of the top recruits in the country, and that description rings true for 2026 Charlotte (NC) Independance linebacker Dallas Brannon.

“I was super excited when I found out,” Brannon told Wolverine Digest. “I had no idea it was going to happen.”

Checking in at 6-2 and 205 pounds, Brannon dominated throughout his sophomore season to the tune of 147 tackles, and his voluminous production is evident all throughout his highlight tape on Hudl. Brannon played pretty centrally within his team’s defense, which makes sense given his speed, play recognition and athleticism. He’s the type of player that, one way or another, always found his way to the football and logged a ton of tackles in the process. 

From a recruiting perspective, Brannon has had an eventful last five weeks. Since April 1, the blue chip prospect has visited Tennessee, Wake Forest, South Carolina and Miami while also landing offers from Mississippi State, USC and most recently Michigan during that time period. 

“I know [Michigan] has a tradition of very good defenses and the atmosphere in their stadium is unlike any other,” Brannon said. “I definitely plan to try and get up there. I want to tour the campus, meet the rest of the staff and see the facilities.”

When Brannon mentions meeting the rest of the staff, he’s referring to a pre-existing relationship he has with Michigan’s defensive run game coordinator and linebackers coach, Brian Jean-Mary.

“I only have met with coach BJ,” Brannon said. “Me and him had previously connected when he was at Tennessee, and I’m really excited to be recruited by him again with him at Michigan.” 

READ MORE: Will Johnson Already Being Compared To One Of The Best Cornerbacks In The NFL

So, Brannon is familiar with Michigan’s culture and tradition, plus he’s already forged a relationship with coach Jean-Mary. The next step is for the Wolverines to host the coveted 2026 defender for a visit.

What position groups should Michigan recruit the hardest moving forward? Let us know and follow @EricJRutter, @mlounsberry_SI and @BSB_Wolverine on Twitter for more Michigan Athletics updates on Wolverine Digest.