Cover crops helping to recharge the soil in the winter

Our regenerative organic farming practices increase our soil's carbon storage capacity. We’ve seen a 90% increase in carbon stored in the soil from ground that we converted from conventional production methods in just four years. On average, our established orchards store 29 tons of carbon per acre. On a farm scale, that translates to 7,540 tons of carbon stored in our soil or the equivalent of taking 1,488 passenger vehicles off the road for a year.


Soil offers us the tremendous resource of being able to capture and store atmospheric carbon to help offset carbon emissions in order to mitigate the effects of climate change. When our soil is covered with plant life, those plants draw carbon dioxide (and water) out of the atmosphere through tiny holes in their leaves, stems, and roots. The sun's energy is used to synthesize that carbon and water into food the plants need to grow. Whatever the plant doesn't need for growth is exuded through its roots and feeds the microorganisms that live in the soil. Those microorganisms break down plant matter and other organic compounds and create the rich dark material in soil known as humus which acts as stable storage of carbon. Carbon is what helps give soil its structure, water holding capacity, and what makes it fertile. By keeping our soil covered and undisturbed, our soil sequesters carbon and our trees have access to rich nutrients while increasing their resilience to drought and disease.