The festive stonefruit is a hit on many people’s Christmas menu, with a number of farmers already opening their gates for the season.

Hillview Cherry Farm owners Marietta and George Khoury are already selling fruit at the orchard’s shed.

“Pick-your-own [cherries] will start in early December,” Mrs Khoury said.

She said the cherries are tasting delicious despite a lack of rain during the past few months

“It has been a very dry winter and a dry autumn and it’s been hard to look after them and keep them watered,” Mrs Khoury said.

“Because George has been keeping the water up to them, they’re doing alright. They’re delicious.”

Mrs Khoury said last week’s rain was a great benefit to the cherries.

The farm has 18 varieties of cherries, with rons and sunburst being picked next week.

Limekilns Cherry Farm only opened for its first year of production last year and its pick-your-own cherries days were popular.

Farmer Dale Curran says the recent rain has had an impact with some cherries splitting, but she said they were still very good eating.

“Everything’s gearing up nicely, but it does cause a bit of splitting in some of the early season varieties,” she said.

The farm will open for the season this Saturday at 10am with the community invited to come along and pick their own cherries.

“It’s free entry and we’re selling them for $10 a kilo. There’s good sized trees for big and little kids,” Ms Curran said.

“You’re welcome to bring a picnic and set up in the orchard.”

Reedy’s Orchard is also getting ready for a bumper season with farmer Anthony Reedy saying cherries will be ready in a couple of weeks.

Once ripe, they will be for sale in the orchard’s shed on the Sydney Road, opposite Clancy Motors.

Hillview Cherry Farm is located at 85 Clairvaux Lane, off Marsden Lane.

Limekilns Cherry Farm is located at 2160 Limekilns Road and is open from 10am until 4pm each weekend until December 17.