Spring orchard farming isn't always smooth. Our herbicide spray trucks get stuck in the mud again and again while applying orchard herbicides in our Michigan apple and cherry orchards, turning a simple field operation into a recovery mission. Watch as we battle muddy conditions, farm equipment ch...

Bringing irrigation automation to the farm! In this video, I partner with Verdi Ag to install and set up a modern irrigation automation system designed to help growers save time, improve efficiency, and gain real-time visibility into their irrigation operations. We walk through the complete unbox...

Before the apple trees go in this fall, the groundwork starts now. In this video, I'm out seeding grass in a new field block here at the orchard in Traverse City, Michigan — getting the ground cover established ahead of our fall apple planting.
Proper ground prep is one of the most overlooked ste...

Turning old cherry orchard ground back into productive soil takes serious horsepower and the right equipment. After removing cherry trees, we were left with roots, rocks, sticks, grass, and years of orchard debris buried beneath the surface. With labor short and no practical way to prepare the fi...

Spring frost damage is creating major challenges for fruit growers across Michigan, and in this video from PomesandStones we discuss how orchard hedging plays an important role in managing tree health, setting future crops, promoting new growth, and keeping rows clear for tractors and equipment. ...

Spring orchard maintenance means dealing with the mess winter leaves behind pushing brush, building burn piles, and sometimes getting closer to the fire than you probably should with a tractor. This is real farm work: managing pruning cleanup, fire control, and equipment risk while getting orchar...

We’re kicking off a real-world nitrogen efficiency trial on Honeycrisp apples here in Northern Michigan, putting AgXplore’s program to the test in a high-value specialty crop. With nitrogen costs where they are, every unit matters—and in this trial, we’re looking closely at how improving nitrogen...

Experience a full year of life on our Michigan fruit farm in this 2025 farm season compilation, from pruning and planting to frost protection, orchard management, and harvest. Follow along through the highs and challenges of growing apples and cherries as we showcase what a year in the life of a ...

Installing a deer fence for apple trees is a critical step when growing fruit trees from scratch, and today we’re finishing our apple tree nursery build here in Michigan. Protecting young apple trees from deer damage is essential for successful orchard establishment, especially when you’re invest...

Deer fence installation for orchards, protecting fruit trees from deer damage, building a deer fence around a tree nursery, orchard fencing project, farm fence installation, and preventing deer pressure in specialty crop agriculture are all part of this project as we begin preparing our tree frui...

We traveled to International Fruit Tree Association (IFTA) in Fresno to join growers, researchers, and industry leaders focused on the future of fruit production. The conference is packed with educational sessions covering orchard management, new technology, and the latest fruit tree research for...

In this video, I walk through four different pruning techniques I use in our high-density apple orchard, showing how each approach changes depending on the tree type and stage of growth. From younger blocks to more established trees, this video breaks down how I’m making pruning decisions in real...

In this video, I’m walking through how we prune 22-year-old cherry trees using a pruning tower, breaking down the fundamentals of proper cherry tree pruning in a mature orchard. We cover why pruning matters, what we’re looking for in older cherry trees, and how good pruning decisions impact tree ...

Overgrown to clean — in this video I’m tackling small trees, brush, and thick bushes on the farm using a skid steer equipped with a grinder. This area had been left untouched for years, and the goal was to reclaim usable ground while cleaning up field edges and improving access across the farm.

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Today we’re cleaning up tree lines, property lines, and overgrown woodlots using our Hitachi 160 excavator and a CAT 936 front-end loader here on the farm. This field was recently purchased and had a few acres of old timber and logging debris left behind in the middle of productive ground. Now we...

Fall weed control is one of the most important steps we take on our farm to set up next year’s crops for success. In this video, we’re covering how and why we use pre-emergent herbicides across 500–600 acres to protect our ground going into the 2026 season. From timing and weather conditions to p...

Spend the day with me on the farm as we put the Case IH 7220 Magnum to work on two big jobs! First, we’re discing up an old tree line to prep the ground for new growth. Then, we’re marking out rows for our next tart cherry planting — a key step in getting ready for another productive Michigan sea...

Welcome back to Pomes and Stones! In this episodes we are focusing on the " Pome " part of the farm as we stop in to check on the guys harvesting apples on my farm here in Michigan!

Come along for an amazing day of apple farming here at the farm! The apple harvest is in full swing, and we're sho...

Something new is hitting the fields… and it’s turning everything white 👀. You might think you know what it is, but this farm project might surprise you. Follow along as we spread a mystery product across the orchard to set the stage for next season’s crop.

In this episode of Pomes and Stones we'...

This week we’re back on the farm in the apple orchard with our local John Deere dealer, Huston Inc., as they bring out a brand-new John Deere tractor and Smart Spray System for a live demo! 🚜🍏 This innovative spraying technology is designed to save farmers time and money by providing better spray...

In this video i'm going to take you into the heart of our Michigan apple orchard, where we’ve been trialing VENUE herbicide from our sponsor, Nichino. This in-depth look shows how VENUE performed across three critical time checkpoints:
🕒 48 hours
🗓️ 7 days
📅 30 days post-application.

We have pho...

Join us as we roll up our sleeves and dive into a rewarding day of volunteer work at our local high school soccer field! Watch as we transform the space with our trusty farm mowers, clearing away debris and prepping the field for an exciting tournament. Celebrate community spirit, teamwork, and t...

🌾 Post-Harvest Farm Life | Getting Back to Orchard Tasks 🍎

Now that harvest is over, it's time to catch up on some jobs around the farm. We're circling back to tasks that were put on hold during the busy fruit harvest, making sure everything is in top shape. The hard work around the orchard neve...