Joyful and Safe and Super-Cool

When I picture myself in my happy place, I often am in the orchard. I am barefoot in the clover, wearing my comfiest overalls. I am one with nature. The bees hum, the birds sing, and the juice of a fresh peach drips down my chin. As organic farmers, we can be guilty of romanticizing old-fashioned farming. In my farming dreams, I do not hear the rumble of a tractor or the exhales of pneumatic pruners.

When Colby and I decided to go all-in on farming, we quickly learned there would be more hand-blistering chores than bare-foot frolics. We established the values that would realistically guide our orchard toward being the happiest place we could imagine. But we decided to imagine a place that embodied what we called “Prosocial Farming” rather than any fantasies of the simple life.

One of our core values on the farm, now, is “Joyful, Safe Work.” And sometimes high-tech, new-fangled, even gas powered (gasp!) solutions bring the greatest joy and safety. Such is our new pruning platform. Its description almost sounds like a parody: 

• hydraulically controlled platforms that can swing into the trees

• all-wheel drive with limited slip

• 2-wheel and 4-wheel steer capability 

• hydrostatic transmission

• centrally located bin elevator

• ultrasonic auto-steering system

When we chose to farm organically we chose to prioritize the health of our customers, our community, and our planet. We also are prioritizing the health of our farm workers. A machine like our new pruning platform makes their task of pruning less hazardous and more ergonomic. The swinging-into-trees part also brings some joy.

So in the the spirit of health, safety, and happiness, we would like you to join us in welcoming our newest addition to the farm fleet: our super-cool pruning platform.

Also, in alignment with our value of safety, I now almost always wear shoes when I am in the orchard.

-Leslie