Friday, January 30, 2009

Introducing the B H Ranch

Welcome to the Boorinakis Harper Ranch! We have been talking about starting a blog for a while, and as winter is a (relatively) slow time of year here on the ranch, it seemed like the perfect time to take the plunge. We'll be posting updates on seasonal goings-on about the farm, as well as plenty of photos, recipes using seasonal local produce, gardening and farming how-to's, and stories about the process of going completely organic with our pear orchard. And, of course, our flock of charming chickens will surely make regular appearances... starting now!

the gals (and guy)

My great-grandfather, George Boorinakis, started our farm in 1918. Now, eighty years later, we're keeping the family business alive and thriving — and we're still growing the most delicious pears you've ever tasted!

George Boorinakis

The Boorinakis Harper Ranch is a small family owned and operated business, and we are passionate about keeping it that way. We're committed to incorporating sustainable farming practices wherever possible — watch for details in upcoming blog posts — including integrated pest management and low-spray techniques to minimize our environmental impact, and keeping bees to pollinate our crops. And, since we’re local, our produce is never transported over long distances or kept in cold storage. Our goal is to provide our community with a local source for the freshest, tastiest fruits and vegetables around!

Even though it isn't our main crop season, there's plenty happening on the ranch in winter. This is the time of year for propagating fruit trees from cuttings, for planning the summer garden, and for pruning, pruning, pruning:



...because before you know it, the orchard will look like this!


-julia boorinakis-harper

Thursday, January 29, 2009