At Terrapin Orchards we are committed to producing the best fruit you can find, while being friendly to natural pollinator, our customers, and mother nature. We depend on Integrated pest management as the backbone of our growing practice. Integrated Pest Management utilizes constant monitoring and scouting of our crops to make sure that we are growing clean, quality produce while minimizing the need for crop protection products. We place traps in the orchard to collect data on pest pressure at our specific farms as well as utilizing University based logarithms that take our local weather data and help us best manage our crops. This results in fewer sprays, a smaller carbon footprint, and a cleaner, more natural world. 

Another concept we believe strongly in is the use of Biodynamic Systems. Biodynamic systems utilize natural, non-chemical methods of control to help us better manage pests. This includes making sure that beneficial insects can thrive in our cropping strategy and focusing on the biology of the specific pest we are trying to combat. One specific tactic we employ on our farm is the use of mating disruption lures. Codling Moth are public enemy number one for apples and can decimate a crop in a hurry. To help reduce the risk of crop damage and the need for chemical control of Codling Moth we hang small plastic pheromone lures in the upper tree canopy before CM flight begins. These lures release fake mating pheromones that confuse the moths and make them lose their ability to navigate their environment. In a good year this can completely control CM, making it one less thing for us to have to spray for.  These pheromone lures are expensive, but they are a very effective way for us to manage a challenging pest in a more responsible way. Mother nature approved!

We do not use any Organophosphate or Carbamate based crop protection products. We utilize only the most modern, safest, and most selective crop protection products, when they are absolutely necessary to protect our crop. All of the products in our standard crop management program fall into the safest label category, Caution. These products have been thoroughly tested by the EPA and have been deemed to be the safest products available. We will not spray any products onto our crops that are labeled as Warning, Danger, or Poison.

We feel good about feeding our family the fruit that we grow, and we take pride in knowing we are producing the safest, cleanest, and most satisfying fruit you can find.

Any specific growing questions can be sent to Farminmatt@gmail.com. We’d be happy to talk more about how we grow!

-Matt