Why I Planted 200 Fruit Trees
orchard dreams
Yesterday morning, a dozen friends and I gathered in our orchard at dawn. Fog hung low and the air was chilly, but there was a tangible warmth and camaraderie as we worked among our 200+ trees.
We pruned and planted a couple dozen young saplings to fill the gaps left by last year’s fierce winds—and the law of entropy.
The orchard story began a couple years ago, when we took this unloved 5-acre field and began weaving our dream into it: irrigation lines running like veins beneath the soil, high fencing around the whole thing, and winding pathways that lead to the heart where sits a flower garden crowned with a cedar pergola and the gentle sound of flowing water.
Before and after
Finally, after three months of labor, infrastructure was complete and we planted trees. Coincidentally, our first son Lucas was born within days of planting. They are the same age, and there are plenty of parallels between parenting and orchard-ing.
I wanted a place just as beautiful as it was fruitful. A place to be with friends; a place to be alone. A place to rest and be inspired.
big possibilities
And as the trees mature, so do the possibilities. This summer will bring our first fruits, and next year our first true harvest. Two hundred trees = a massive amount of fruit!
Though it was never about money, there are some compelling opportunities to consider:
Orchard weddings / social gatherings
U-pick experiences
Glamping
Cider, jams, jellies, dried fruit
Beekeeping / honey
We recently added geese to the ecosystem, and they’ve added more…
a fantastic investment
As I’ve said before, landscape is the highest ROI money you can spend on any real estate project. And an orchard is basically one big landscape, albeit an edible one. Each tree compounds in value and beauty each year. In fact, after a certain point (around Year 6 for fruit trees), you can’t even buy replacements—they’re impossible to transplant.
Together, all these trees create an atmosphere that, dare I say, is magical.
I find myself drawn here every time I walk, ride my bike, or drive by (which is every day). A magnetic pull. That’s why working there is so easy—I want to be there.
the mission
This is the same philosophy that guided the creation of The Nook: creating spaces that inspire creation. Nature’s a huge component of that. At minimum, it’s the canvas, and many times, as with an orchard, it’s the whole painting (we just added the frame).
As I think about my life’s mission, I believe a big part of it is this: to craft places people love. Places which people love, and places where people love.
Now let me nudge you a little: go plant a fruit tree—or better yet, plant three. Would elevate any hotel, restaurant, homestead, neighborhood, park, patio, or backyard. The investment is modest (a sapling costs $30), but the dividends are extraordinary, and three-fold:
The experience of tending it, the beauty of watching it grow and change through seasons, and yes—the joy of finally picking fruit (but that’s just the cherry on top—sorry, I couldn’t resist).
Appreciate you reading & sharing, and I hope each one of you has a wonderful week.
I love you all.