For those that work a family farm it is a given that all the work is hands on.
Erickson Ranch has been ever so fortunate to have developed a terrific friendship with Katie Zaboy of Katie Zaboy Photography.Through her talents as a photographer, she has been able to capture the working hands that make our farm. Our connection began when Katie came out several years ago on the advise of a friend. She took some lovely pictures, we spoke briefly and didn’t meet again until this January.
During that 2 year period before reconnecting with Katie, we accomplished the long time goal of developing a marketing plan for the Ranch with the gifted talents of Carolyn Higgins, owner of Fortune Marketing Company. As we learned the art of marketing, under Carolyn’s tutelage, we quickly realized a large part of marketing one’s business is to provide a pictorial history of what we do. With that said the story continues.
My picture taking abilities are limited to say the least. I’ve known for years that I need to take at least 100 pictures to get 1 good one. I use my camera phone and it is hit or miss as I try to capture life on the ranch, mostly miss! My plan was to see if Katie would be interested in photographing the ranch throughout the season in an attempt to capture the good, bad and sometimes ugly of farming. Our connection was meant to be, as they say, for Katie was thinking about contacting us. As she grows her photography business she is interested in chronicling the small farm and Erickson Ranch was on her list. Isn’t it funny how things come together? Our businesses are the perfect compliment for each other as she utilizes her talents and we provide the gift of our working hands.
We could not ask for a more lovely friendship as we now have with Katie. Her energy, enthusiasm and genuine interest in what we do and her ability to capture the life of the family farm throughout the season is, without a doubt, something we cherish. Raymond has the gifted, working hands of a third generation farmer. He is forever in tune with the seasons, the flora, the fauna that all work in tandem to make Erickson Ranch. The crops grown by Ray are overtime gently allowed to mature to their peak, whether it a 100 year old Bartlett Pear tree, sweet peas blooming in late spring or a mix of lettuce planted every couple of weeks. He combines his talents as a farmer as he knows the soil, the weather, and the rotation of the seasons and the meaning of hard work that make the ranch not only his business but his home and his life.
Enjoy the pictures provided by Katie as we move through the seasons. See you on June 22nd for our opening with the wonderful Blenheim Apricots!
Always a work list
- Young cover crop in the spring
New growth on young grafted trees.
Making Meyer Lemon Jelly