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Organic Farming Practices

 

Organic Farming

Growing fruit organically is a huge commitment for our growers. From weed control and soil nutrition to disease and pest management, farmers face a host of challenges to grow organic and high-quality fruit. Organic farming is a balancing act between managing inputs and sustaining high-quality levels of crop production. As a leading supplier of organic tree fruits, it’s a task that we proudly take on day after day.

As you learned in the previous section, synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides cannot be used in organic farming. So, how do organic fruit growers produce high-quality fruits? Here at Stemilt, our organic farming practices are built around three main areas - soil nutrition, weed control, and pest/disease control.

Soil Nutrition: Building organic matter into the soil is vital to producing a high-quality crop of organic fruit. The volcanic soil prevalent throughout Stemilt’s eastern Washington orchards gives us a unique advantage, which is enhanced by our use of compost for a natural fertilizer. We collect green waste (prunings, leaves, culled fruit, etc.) from our orchards and plants and regenerate it into a nutrient rich-fertilizer at our 18-acre compost farm. Organic growers also use chicken/horse manure for natural fertilizers to feed their trees.

Weed Control: Because they are unable to use herbicides in production, organic farmers must find natural ways to control weeds. This is by far the biggest cost involved with farming organically. Cover crops like wild roses prevent weeds from getting too much sunlight, therefore disrupting their growth pattern. Finally, farmers may rely on tractors and other mechanical solutions to control weeds in an organic orchard

Pest & Disease Control: Stemilt is very fortunate to grow organic fruit in eastern Washington, where four "true" seasons combine to create an ideal growing environment for fruit. However, organic growers still have to take measures to prevent certain diseases and pests from damaging the fruit. Our organic growers use an integrated approach to manage pests. They use pheromone traps to disrupt mating patterns of pests and rely on beneficial predator insects (like ladybugs) to keep pest levels at bay. Natural cover crops like wild roses prevent pests from overwintering and emerging in higher levels in the springs. Additionally, farmers bring Kestrel houses into their orchards and use trained falcons in order to naturally deter birds from pecking and damaging their crops.