Freedom

Individual development and empowerment leads to freedom which is the basis for all progress. Training and education is obviously key for both business and individual.
Erin (organic apple farmer) “you have to have a good working procedure and training schedule, then it works well. Also, more than half of the people we hire come from the local village and have worked for us for many years. So we mix locals with world travellers, meaning experienced people with inexperienced ones – and they usually learn well from each other. Apart from that, I am in the orchard from dusk to dawn during these peak seasons and make sure that things work smoothly and professionally”.

Research is also an important part of self development. Rob (organic apple farmer) “We are monitoring insects and diseases throughout the year together with other growers. The data is then compiled and regularly evaluated by a research institute. Based on the monitoring results we are informed how and when we can best combat any problems, if necessary. We are also experimenting with different pruning techniques and keep records of the timing of the pruning, in order to see whether this has any effect on the growth on the apples”.