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Date: 4/20/2023
WILBRAHAM — Volunteers gathered at Fern Valley Farms on April 4 to help owner Dan Fernandes plant 1,000 saplings in just six hours. Despite the frenetic pace of planting, it will be up to eight years before Fernandes sees the fruit of that labor. Well, not exactly fruit. Even though Fern Valley Farms is known as an apple orchard, these saplings are destined to be Christmas trees.
“There will be seasons where we don’t get any apples at all because of a wet year or whatever,” Fernandes said. “A lot of farms are diversifying,” Fernandes said. Selling Christmas trees will give the farm a source of income during the fall and winter.
Area farmers, including those from Stony Hill Farm and Iron Horse Flower Farm, helped Fernandes plant Fraser, Douglas and Cannan fir saplings over an acre of farmland. The trees will take between six and eight years to mature. Over that time, Fernandes plans to plant another 1,100 saplings as succession plants. When the first trees are ready to be cut down, other trees will be nearly mature and ready for the next season.
Fern Valley Farms also plans to expand its apple trees, with an additional 1,000 trees scheduled to be planted. While Christmas trees live just eight years and can only be sold once, apple trees live for 20 to 30 years and produce a crop to harvest each year after reaching maturity. There are 15 acres of apple trees on the 87-acre farm.
The orchard was originally planted by the Rice family in 1894. Now a pick-your-own apple orchard, the farm has been in business since 2017. There are 13 varieties of apples and another one is being added this year.
“Farming is a funny thing to get into,” Fernandes said. “Success can be measured in a few different ways.” He said the business has grown and he has “great customers.” About 15,000 people visit the farm in an apple picking season, which lasts 12 weekends.
The farm at 758 Main St. is available to rent for special events and weddings. In the summer, Fern Valley Farms offers live music and partners with fellow Wilbraham-based company, Fieldcrest Brewing Company.
For more information, visit fernvalleyfarmsllc.com.