April 17, 2015
CapitalPress.com
11
City couple finds themselves on orchard
By LACEY JARRELL
Capital Press
David and Nicole Stewart
just embarked on the adventure
of a lifetime.
In January, the couple traded
in their Philadelphia row house
for a three-bedroom farmhouse
and a 19.4-acre orchard in Gre-
nada, Calif.
Neither has much experience
with farming, but after learning
Hunter Orchards, an established
organic farm well-known for its
peaches, was for sale, they de-
cided to dive in.
“It kind of had everything we
were looking for; we just didn’t
realize it was now,” said Nicole,
a former lawyer who imagined
settling on a farm in retirement.
Kirsten Olson and her hus-
band, John Tannaci, who owned
and operated Hunter Orchards
for 25 years, sold the farm to the
couple. To ensure the orchard
succeeds, they have agreed to
mentor the Stewarts.
Lacey Jarrell/For the Capital Press
John Stewart mechanically weeds rows at his farm, Hunter Or-
chards, in Grenada, Calif. Stewart and his wife, Nicole, purchased
the farm in January.
“They are exceptional stu-
dents,” Olson said. “They are
attentive and ask fabulous ques-
tions.”
David joked that he and Ni-
cole are still getting their “farm
legs,” and that this year’s warm
weather and early onset of blos-
soms is giving them a run for
their money.
“With the weather this year,
things are about a month ahead
of time,” Nicole said. “It is over-
whelming, but in a great way.”
The orchard features 10 acres
of peaches, apricots, nectarines,
pears, plums, cherries and ap-
ples. Shortly after the Stewarts
purchased the farm, the couple
also installed a 2,100-square-
foot high tunnel where they
grow squash, beets, lettuce,
potatoes and garlic.
“I had no idea how much
I would love farming,” David
said. “I think when you stick
your hands in the dirt and you
put a seed there, and that seed
turns into a beautiful radish
and someone buys it, you feel
like that whole cycle is life.
“It’s hard to think of a more
essential job in the world than
creating food. The value that
you put on the work you’re
doing goes up exponentially.”
Right now David’s main
focus is pruning the fruit trees
and preparing the orchard for
harvest. Former owner Tan-
naci is teaching Nicole how
to use turbines to keep a killer
frost from striking the trees.
If everything goes according
to plan, the trees will produce
well.
Olson said the biggest sur-
prise for Nicole and David will
be the intensity and delight of
harvest.
“We know it’s going to
be insanely busy, but we’re
looking forward to getting out
there,” Nicole said. “We’re
nervous, but in an excited
way.”
The orchard has established
vendors at the Mount Shasta
Farmers’ Market and in San
Francisco. Nicole said the cou-
ple is planning to reach out this
year to Ashland and Grants
Pass markets. She noted that
the local desire for organic and
year-round crops is growing.
“Maybe as some of the trees
age out, instead of replacing
them with more peach trees,
we’ll put in another high tun-
nel so we can do more vegeta-
bles locally,” she said. “We’re
really excited about that, too.”
The transition from city life
to rural living has been easier
and more rewarding than the
Stewarts imagined it could be.
“I miss family and friends,
but I don’t miss the city at all.
I love the peace,” she said. “It
all feels like it was meant to
be.”
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