Orchard Keepers

About Orchard Keepers

In the hills above Corralitos the old apple blocks still stand, and in January, when the trees are bare and fog settles into the draws, the pruning gets done. Orchard Keepers works to that calendar — fruit tree pruning and shaping, deadwood taken out, the orchard floor mowed, brush cleared, understory and beds kept in hand. A backyard tree gets the same treatment as a row: open the center, take the crossing wood, let light down to the fruit. Through the growing months the work turns to mowing, trimming and cleanup, keeping the ground beneath the canopy clear. A well-pruned tree is easy to spot from the road in winter and easier to pick from come fall.