Earth Day deserves to be celebrated more than just one day, to us – it should be celebrated every day. In this case, we thought we’d take the whole week to highlight our favorite things about Mother Nature, steps we take to grow and package our fruit more sustainably and of course, our favorite ways to snack outside responsibly. Our Grow your Grove Giveaway kicked off this week and this is our way to share all the Earth Day fun with each of you! How do you grow your grove? Your grove can be anything – your community, environment, spreading awareness about what conservation means to you, etc.
For us, spring is one of our favorite seasons to recognize and reflect on the gratitude we have for our ecosystems. Everything outside plays an integral role in our orchards and the outcome of the quality of our fruit – from the sunshine to the rain, frost, soil, irrigation, bees, pollinators and helpful critters – we are so grateful for the land in which we grow, which is why we put our best foot forward to show it the same care and respect. Our growers and field personnel are constantly working to grow our grove through a variety of different methods and growing techniques.
Thanks to our advanced, non-invasive farming practices, we are proud to say we are leaders in the industry for sustainable farming. By utilizing cutting-edge drip irrigation systems, eco-friendly pest management methods and utilizing high-density planting methods to maximize foliage usage, production, and quality – we always go the extra mile to do things the right way, not the easy way.
We also take extra measures to conserve our most precious resources – water and soil! We use advanced technology to measure soil moisture, which allows us to adjust water levels and schedules with precision. We also utilize micro-irrigation fan jets to distribute water more evenly and prevents wasteful water usage. To ensure that our crops have the optimal environment to grow and thrive in, we also conduct laboratory testing on our soil and foliage to determine if there are any nutritional deficiencies. We carefully manage the field’s health, and to prevent over-treating our soil we use pest and disease-resistant rootstocks – all natural and non-invasive practices to protect our orchards.
Something we are also so proud of at Starr Ranch Growers is our latest innovative packaging endeavors – we now offer 100% recyclable corrugated cardboard apple boxes available at a variety of retailers. In addition to this, we are currently in the process of finalizing new fully recyclable plastic bags made with plastic material that CAN be ethically recycled to reduce waste of toxic and harmful plastics in our landfills! Hooray for strides toward sustainability!
These are just a few of the many steps we are taking toward a more sustainable growing and packing operation. Not only that, we love sharing this journey with other sustainably conscious brands and working together to make an even bigger impact on the planet. We’d love to know what you are doing at home to Grow Your Grove within your own community – be sure to tell us in the comments below and head over to our Instagram @starr_ranch_growers to enter our collaborative Grow Your Grove Giveaway to enter our biggest adventure prize package YET – equipped with Hipcamp $100 gift card, YETI waterbottle, smores kit, fresh shipment of JUICI apples, a custom Heart of Timber cutting board and a case of Lost Grove Brewing beer. Winner will be announced this Friday 4/23 via our Instagram stories. Good luck, and get outside and grow your grove this week!