The Quiet Before the Storm (Sort Of!)

Spring has officially sprung, and the weather is sending a clear message to Erickson Ranch: it’s time to get the planting party started.

When Mother Nature speaks, we listen. She doesn’t have to tell us twice to hitch up the mower and disc to the tractors and begin prepping the fields. As the spring rains and mild weather make their appearance, our season truly begins.

Before we can even consider putting seeds in the ground, however, we have to go head-to-head with the carpet of weeds that have made themselves right at home in our fields. If only our actual crops grew as easily as the weeds, farming would be a total breeze! Because that is not our reality, it is off to the races we go.

From Dirt to Delicious

The days are passing quickly now, and each sunrise brings a very specific chore to complete as we prepare the ground. To a farmer, there is nothing more earthy and satisfying to the senses than a newly plowed field. The transformation happens fast: one day the field prep is completed, the next day the dirt is planted with tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, and more. The final step is placing the irrigation pipe, and then the watering begins.

While the fields are keeping us hopping, the orchards are simultaneously demanding our care. To produce the perfect, sun-ripened fruit for our jams and our cherished customers, we are busy pruning, thinning the crop, fertilizing, and managing pests. Of course, we always save the best for last: picking and eating! We also cannot forget about all the beautiful flowers we are planting this year for your personal picking pleasure.

As the season passes from summer to fall, our daily farming routine will start with the sunrise and wrap up at sunset, only to repeat it all again the next day.

The Anatomy of a Plant

Have you ever realized that the growth of a plant is amazingly similar to that of a human? Think about it for a moment. A human eats nutritional food, and the digestive system allows the body to absorb those nutrients through the stomach and intestines to build a healthy person.

A plant similarly takes in its nutrients, using its root system (its mouth) to draw goodness from the soil. Those nutrients are then carried by the vascular system (its digestive system) up through the stem and out to the leaves. These nutrients, in turn, create our delicious, healthy fruits and vegetables.

Speaking of Fruits, Vegetables, and Fun!

While we have always participated in events outside the ranch, this year we are adding even more to our calendar. Get ready for jam tastings and fresh sales as our Blenheim apricots ripen, followed by a variety of peaches, apples, peppers, and U-pick pumpkins, all grown right here on the ranch.