Cliffside Orchards - Case Study Example

Case Study of Cliffside Orchards Introduction Cliffside Orchards has been owned and run by Jeff and Jeanette Herman since1982. Located in Kettle Falls of Washington’s Stevens County, the Orchard gets its name from the fact that it is sits near a cliff within the locality. The orchard provides optimal conditions for the growth of fruits such as apples, peaches, apricots, pears, cherries, nectarines and pears yielding various types of each of these fruits. The Orchard is situated on a gently sloping arid land setting that allows heavy and moist air to slowly drain away thus reducing the habitability of fungi and bacteria. The site also has deep well drained soils that prevent against drop diseases such as root disease and physiological disorders. Figure 1 Map showing the location of the Cliffside Orchard Source: Mapmuse, 2014 Cliffside Orchards generated its first profit in the year 1989. Then, the Hermans were operating as wholesalers. By the end of the year 1990, however, the Orchard recorded fewer profits as a result of a decline in crop yields. The Hermans decided to venture into farmer markets such as Sandpoint, Codalaine and Spokane. Jeff Herman stated that this “was a big change, emotionally and spiritually.” The couple states that when they began, 32 years ago, they lacked the technological advantages and technical knowhow that is enjoyed by many farmers today. Jeff, however, acknowledges Phil Unterschuetz’s publication on Organic Integrated fertility Management publication as a crucial guide that helped them through the numerous challenges that they faced over the past 32 years such as the Alar scare of 1989. The couple has witnessed firsthand the effects of unsustainable agriculture and the use of extreme chemicals in crop growth. As such, they have endeavored to adopt healthy crop growth practices for the sake of their children and the environment. The Cliffside Orchards has been a success story for farmers all over fighting for the cause of purely organic agricultural practices. Part of the couple’s objectives is to provide an example of how maintained organic practices can yield healthy and nutritious tree ripened fruit that is sweet. In addition to this, they advocate for tree planting practices as part of their environmental sustainability measures. Orchard Preparation When the couple initially settled in the area, the land on which the Orchard now sits had been largely untouched. It had been an alfalfa hay field from which neighboring farmers obtained pasture for their livestock. The couple first cleared the site and used bushes as fencing. They then used a backhoe to fill in an existing swamp, in the Northern side of the Orchard. Near the creek adjacent to their land, Jeff strategically planted some tree seedlings near already existing wild cherry trees that had already ripened fruits from which birds fed on and this kept them away from his trees. Now the land provided prime space on which the orchard would thrive. The growing season takes about four months depending on the prevailing weather patterns (Washington State Department of Agriculture, 1976). The seven acre land now grows about 1,000 trees in total. The land is divided into portions on which three-quarters of an acre holds pear trees, one and a quarter acres holds apple trees and three and a half grows peaches and nectarines. An additional three quarters of an acre has been set aside for apricots, a tenth for plums and another tenth for Cherries. The couple has further leased out an additional acre of land on which dwarf apple trees grow. Growth Conditions The area experiences an average rainfall of about 14 inches whereas neighboring Spokane receives an average recorded rainfall of about 16 inches. The land is perfectly situated next to abundant water sources from which the couple has senior abstraction rights. The farm sits at an elevation of 1,600 feet next to a hillside and is, therefore, sheltered from the harsh climatic conditions of Eastern Washington. Jeff closely monitors the national weather through the weather stations and closely pays attention to forecasts at 7-day, 3-day and 1-day intervals. Through his experience, he has observed a difference in warmth of about 2-3 degrees between what the stations predict and real-time temperature in his Orchard. Monitoring Growth During the growth monitoring period, Jeff prefers walking round the orchard claiming “the most important thing to put into your orchard is footprints.” This accounts for one of the reasons why the orchard lacks a permanent irrigation system in place. During this period, he carefully looks for bud growth while observing crop trends and relationships. Another common method used to monitor crop growth is the use of tissue tests. Over the years, he has conducted about seven tissue and soil tests. Trees are planted in rows at an interval of about nine feet apart. The existing drip system, on the other hand, has water outlets in three inch intervals. Organic Practices and Pest Management The Hermans use Entrust on blooms as insect control agent. Occasionally, they use limited amounts of BT 3rd Genesis. Bordeaux mix combines copper and sulfur to effectively control truck crop, cane fruit, foliar and other fruit diseases. It is resistant to wet weather conditions and as a result, offers protection well into the winter season. Considering that there are various types of tree species growing on the orchard, the Hermans have adopted a spraying schedule that involves spraying copper in the fall, lime sulfur during spring and the Bordeaux mix for peach leaf curl. In addition, dormant oil sprays are used on apples and pears, scab sprays through the blossoms between 20-25 times annually and copper hydroxide for bloom disease. 100-150 gallons of copper hydroxide can be applied to approximately 100 pear trees and 300 peach trees. Pears are sprayed to control mite infestations. Apple scab is observed against leaf wetness and temperature and can be mitigated through the use of lime sulfur. Jeff reseeds whenever necessary based on his analysis of the cover crop. If yields are high, he turns them into the ground to generate additional nitrogen in the soil for subsequent seasons. If he considers yields to be low, he mows the fields using a tractor and later hand weeds around the base of trees. Perennial cover crops such as the white clover, which thrives in that part of the state, become beneficial since he does not have to replant each year. The white clover not only reduces the need to re-cultivate, it also provides protection to shallow tree roots and acts as a good weed suppressor. A notable problem with the clover plant, however, is that it attracts mice and other rodents. This can be mitigated through regular mowing and other rodent control measures. The orchard has experienced pest infestations in the form of mice that cause huge damages to fruit crops. The Orchard also uses natural pest control methods to deal with such pests. Plant extracts and fermented yeast have proven effective pest control agents. Other practices adopted include hygiene measures, use of beneficial organisms, mating disruption and traps. Weeding has effectively been controlled through mulching. Beneficial insects such as bees and other natural pollinators are, however, crucial to the operation of the orchard. Crop Maintenance Pruning is usually carried out during the winter season though it can also be done regularly in the summer. The pruned material is often used as fuel in the homestead while surplus is burned to ensure that any diseased limbs cannot cause recontamination. Any matured fruits that drop as a result of pruning are left to constitute organic matter in the soil. Since three quarters of fruits are pulled off during thinning, the number of fruits left to decompose from the pruning process is insignificant. The thinned fruits are added to the compost heap that will later be used to enhance soil nutrient. The Hermans use grafting technique to topwork new fruit varieties onto already established trunks. This is done on trunks that have obsolete strains due infections or damage by pests and animals. Usually, temperate-zone deciduous fruits are propagated through budding, bridge grafting or clefting. Jeff prefers to use yellow colour grafting wax, also referred to as hand wax, since it does not require heating to liquefy it and it can be easily purchased from grafting supply resource companies. It is simply pressed on around the graft. However, its sticky nature only makes it useful when grafting is done on a small scale. Table 1 Propagation requirements for selected fruit trees Tree Effective temperature (F) Best temperature (F) Days Required Apple 40-50 40-41 70-80 Apricot 40-50 45 60-70 Cherry 33-50 41 90-140 Peach 33-50 45 120-130 Pear 33-41 40 60-90 Source: Crasweller Fruit Harvesting Jeff hand picks his fruits, ensuring great care is taken in the handling process. “Know the customer and what they will tolerate “is his creed when it comes to quality delivery. Cherries are harvested in the month of July while apricots and peaches begin to ripen during the month of August. Pears and apples, on the other hand, are ready for harvesting between the months of September to December. To achieve this, Jeff works twenty hours a week during the winter mainly on equipment maintenance and forty hours a week during harvest time. The couple has also adopted the use of interns and part time employees to ensure operations are continued. One huge challenge arises when it comes to hiring. Due to their scale of operation, they are only able to offer minimum wage payment with no health cover. This makes it difficult to outsource for human labour. Fortunately, the couple has over the years been able to maintain a loyal work force although they sometimes depend on other family members, neighbors, friends and volunteers. Economic Sustainability The main idea behind economic sustainability is that the orchard can maintain and even better its position in the market through revenues it has generated. The Hermans currently gets between $30 and $60 for 40lbs. of good quality apples, and, therefore, in an average year, his net gains sum to half his gross income. When he had smaller yield, he undertook most of the work to make up for the difference. Jeff charges $2.50 a pound of produce and, therefore, a 40 pound box would earn him a total of about $100. It is, therefore, economical for his clients to purchase by the box for a cost of $60. The couple has adopted an online marketing strategy that allows their clients to pre order online and enables them keep track of their inventory. In addition to this, it has enabled them tap into a wider market. Apart from adopting technological advancements, some of the measures the couple can take to enhance the economic sustainability of the orchard are by coming up with other income generating projects from wastes produced in the orchard. For instance, the Herman’s could look into investing in renewable energy using waste material generated from the orchard. This would significantly cut down their fuel costs and those incurred in waste disposal. Another way to ensure economic sustainability is by creating and nurturing partnerships with other players within their line of operation. For example, by building a good reputation and networking with other farmers, the Hermans could benefit from the new channels that may arise from these affiliations. This is also an effective marketing strategy since their existence would spread through word of mouth. Currently, the orchard serves Spokane Farmer’s Market, University Farmer’s Market, Couer D’Alena Farmers Market and Sandpoint Farmers Market in addition to an online client list numbering between 400 to 500 individuals, businesses and institution. Activities undertaken in the pursuit of economic sustainability depend on the size, ideals and policies of a business entity. For instance, the small nature of the orchard restricts the couple from adopting mechanized systems that would otherwise be more efficient although suited to large scale entities. In addition, the ideal adopted by the couple that hand-picking fruit ensures that quality is preserved also prevents them from adopting mechanized harvesting and processing systems. The couple relies on heat generator powered by wind and gasolineo produce heat during the winter to counter frost. The orchard should look into adopting more sustainable energy sources such as biofuels and/or wind power to reduce their dependency on fossil fuels. This would enhance their economic and environmental sustainability. Environmental Sustainability The Cliffside Orchard lies within the Colombia River catchment area and as such, it benefits greatly from the water resource. As earlier mentioned, the Herman’s have senior water abstraction privileges. This means that they are able to irrigate their lands all year round. However, due to global climate change, stringent environmental policies and regulations have been setup to dictate matters of the environment such as water abstraction and waste disposal. The Hermans have strived to conserve their environmental surrounding through the adoption of organic practices and by planting trees. However, their waste disposal methods could be reviewed to see whether more efficient practices of waste disposal are available to them. An example is recycling or processing wastes into useable products such as briquettes or paper. The orchard relies heavily on the soil and, therefore, soil management is a big factor that the couple considers. Currently, the soil has a pH of 8.7 in some areas though Jeff prefers a lower figure of 7. The adoption of organic agriculture has ensured that the Hermans have not significantly altered the soil pH through the use of manmade pesticides and insecticides. This is also important due to their proximity to the adjacent water bodies. The couple practice erosion control through the planting of trees and cover crops. Very little bare soil can be seen in the orchard. They have also adopted the use of basic management chicken compost to replenish the soil nitrogen and weed badger to mow down the ground through which their irrigation channels have been installed. The irrigation system adopted by the Hermans is the drip system with drop tubes that have water holes at about 3 inch intervals. The system is draped between branches and runs down the rows along which the trees are planted. The system is elevated at 4 feet to allow for mowing and tillage. Social Sustainability It is crucial that the orchard develop new ties within its line of operation while at the same time nurturing those it has already established. In addition to this, the couple should also ensure that their employees are properly treated and that their capacities are built either through effective training or experience gained in everyday working. Already, the orchard has built a good reputation with its progress and delivery through organic production. The practices adopted by the orchard have been hailed by many as the future of agricultural production (Warner, 2007). Many institutions have adopted the corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy to enhance their social sustainability and market their names. The Cliffside Orchard should participate in CSR activities such as tree planting to build its reputation as a fruit producer and announce itself to both the national and even the global market. With the knowledge gained in the 32 years the orchard has been in operation, the couple could participate in agricultural workshops and seminars to share their wealth of knowledge as pertains to their field of operation. Legal Aspect It is mandatory that the orchard undergoes inspection from time to time to ensure that there is due compliance with environmental, sanitary, occupational, financial and social regulations and policies with regards to the operation and running of the orchard. Every year, the Washington State Department of Agriculture carries out a fruit and vegetable inspection programme to undertake accurate inspection of fruits and vegetables within the state. During the certification process, random samples are collected and tested to ensure that the process is unbiased and that compliance with organic production standards is verified. Sanitary inspections are also conducted since the orchard handles foodstuffs. In these inspections, the hygiene standards of equipment and staff are scrutinized to also verify compliance. The lack of mechanized equipment in the orchard means that Jeff only cleans his picking bucket with soap and water and then rinses it thoroughly. Similarly, financial returns must be filed in accordance to the Internal revenue Services’ standards. Conclusion Currently, the Cliffside Orchard is on the correct path towards attaining the three pillars of sustainability considering the challenges it has overcome during it 32 years of existence. Very little needs to be done by the Hermans to ensure that within the next decade, the orchard will have established itself in the global market as a major fruit producer and it will have attained self-sufficiency through the implementation of the proper sustainability measures discussed in this case study. References Cliffside Orchard Website (Retrieved Online) http://www.cliffsideorchard.com/ (Viewed 16 April 2014) Crasweller R. M. (2005), Grafting and Propagating Fruit Trees. Publications Distribution Center, The Pennsylvania State University p. 11 (Online) http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/UJ255.pdf Mapmuse (Retrieved Online) http://find.mapmuse.com/map/csa/goto/291150403/cliffside-orchard (Viewed 16 April 2014) Washington State Department of Agriculture (1976), Washington Grown Fruits, Legume and Herbs Seasonality Chart, (Online) http://agr.wa.gov/AgInWa/docs/SeasonalityChartFruitLegumeHerbsfinal.pdf Warner Geraldine (2007) http://www.goodfruit.com/the-rise-of-organics/ (Viewed 16 April 2014) Read More