Dain Craver and his family have been growing high quality organic apples, asian pears, cherries and pluots on 95 acres near Royal City, Washington, since 1991. Initially the land was planted in alfalfa, but every spring Dain, his wife GariLynn, and their seven daughters planted another 10-15 acres with new trees. Going organic isn't easy, but the Cravers enjoy the challenges as well as the health and environmental benefits. The orchard is located next to a game preserve, which protects it from pesticide drift and also provides habitat for native predators which help keep the orchard free of pests. Dain believes that the best strategy is to treat pests with patience. "Most of the time," he says, "nature will take its course and control the pests."

The Cravers are pleased that their hard work has paid off with a well deserved reputation for high quality fruit and a secure future for their farm. CF Fresh is proud to work with great organic growers like the Cravers, and hopes to continue to bring their fruit to market for many years to come.