Wow -- that's early! My Bluecrop bushes have just begun ripening some berries within the last couple of weeks, and I'm two zones warmer than you. I've been picking Duke berries for a few weeks now, and I definitely agree about the flavor. By comparison, my one Reka was a nearly two weeks earlier than Duke, and, while the berries are smaller, the flavor is definitely superior. They probably wouldn't be appropriate for your zone, but O'Neal and Southmoon have also been standouts for me, especially when compared with Duke. More and more, I'm thinking that Duke just isn't up to par with other early options.

Reka. I've heard of that cultivar. i have brigitta. I agree about Duke. Nice big fat sweet and lame. Our low here is 0~ -10. I think o'neal will do, but don't know about others like sweetcrisp and others. Blueray, Bluecrop's sister is also top notch. Where did you get your Rekas?

I bought one Reka from Burnt Ridge Nursery last spring, but that was largely because I was already ordering some other things from them. What I like about Reka is the sweet/acid balance. While very good, O'Neal and Southmoon are both weighted toward sweetness over acidity. My Duke berries, on the other hand, are lacking in both. Thanks for mentioning Brigitta -- I recall reading good reviews of it in the past, and the flavor description at Monrovia reminds me of Reka (sweet yet tangy). I'll add it my varieties to try list.

Brigitta is late however, as we're talking early. I gotta say, after picking 7 lbs of duke, the flave is variable from bush to bush. I think that the blander ones are smaller, and on overloaded bushes, and the just ripe, bigger ones are a lot better. I skimmed through my Bluecrops and some blue Jays and put together 9lbs in 1 hr. The birds have arrived, as well as my mylar bird scaring strips. Blue Jay has been around for some 50 yrs. Although the fruiting so far is sparse, the bushes are nice growers and I hope they load up next year. They berries are rounder, sweet, and have an excellent essence with a little acid. No muskiness undertones like duke. They were the only ones that produced anything last year. I'm also trialing Draper. Finicky plant. doesn't like my soul so much, but this year are loades. Where are the leaves?I might have to trim some lower fruit, but may be to late to avoid over bearing. I need to baby them as to not lose any momentum.