Frequently Asked Questions

When are orders shipped and when do I have to have my order in to have it shipped this week?

We will ship all our orders on Monday or Tuesday to avoid having products sit over a weekend in a hot or cold warehouse/truck. All processed items are shipped UPS Ground. Fresh peach and pear gift packs are shipped 2nd day Fed Ex and fresh apple gift packs are shipped 3rd day FedEx. Orders received by Monday morning at 7 a.m. (MST) will be shipped on Monday. Orders received by Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. (MST) will be shipped on Tuesday. All orders received after Tuesday morning will be shipped the following Monday.

How are your fresh peaches, pears and apples packaged?

Our fresh fruit gift packs contain twelve pieces of fruit. They are packaged in a foam insert so that they can be sent tree ripe and ready to eat when they arrive at your door. The packages are attractively gift wrapped and are suitable as gifts, congratulations or just to enjoy yourself! All fresh fruit are sent via FedEx to ensure speedy on-time delivery.

What should I do when I receive a fresh fruit gift pack?

If you are not going to eat the fruit right away, refrigerate it. Apples and pears will keep for a week, if not more, in your refrigerator. Peaches will not last as long, but refrigeration does extend their life.

When are your fresh fruit gift packs available?

We only ship our fresh fruit when it is at its peak of flavor. Thus, our fresh fruit gift packs are only available seasonally. Our peach gift packs are available during our normal peach season - generally from early August until mid-September. Pears are normally available from early September through early October. Apples start in early September and are available until our supply runs out, usually early December. See our web section on apple varieties for specific times by apple variety.

How are your jams, jellies, sauces and nectars packaged?

If you are sending them as a gift, can gift wrap the jars so that when you open the box it looks like a gift. There is a small additional charge for sending items gift wrapped.

For normal delivery we package our products in foam peanuts to avoid breakage. The peanuts we use are made from organic corn starch and are biodegradable (just add water and they dissolve). We also encourage you to reuse them yourself or to take them to a local mail and copy center for recycling. All processed products are sent UPS Ground.

Why does shipping cost so much?

We only charge shipping at our cost. Since most shipping companies have a minimum charge for home delivery, putting only a few items per box costs more per item to ship than putting more items in that same box. For example, we have found that sending a case of jam usually only costs a few dollars more than sending three jars in a box. To minimize per item shipping costs, we suggest ordering more per box.

Since we send you truly tree ripe fruit, our fresh fruit gift packs are only sent via FedEx 2nd day service. This costs more, but it guarantees that we can put the ripest, juiciest fruit in the box. This is something few other companies are willing to do, because tree ripe fruit is so perishable. We believe you ought to receive the best possible fruit, and our experience is that you will receive the best fruit via FedEx.

Is our web ordering secure?

Yes, we utilize services that maintain security at industry standards.

What is your privacy policy?

We do not share names and addresses with any other people or companies. When you order from us, you can be assured that we only use your personal information to send your order to you. If you sign up for our email newsletter, we only use your email address for that newsletter. The newsletter comes out sporadically, usually once in the spring, several times during harvest (to let you know of new fruits starting or of new markets) and once or twice during the winter.

What is your guarantee?

We take great pride in all our products and want you to be satisfied, if not thrilled, with your order. If you ever receive something from us that is unsatisfactory, let us know and we will replace the product or refund your money. We want you to be happy and we will make sure we make things right with you. We appreciate knowing about problems since that also helps us to make our service the best possible.

Are your peaches truly as good as you say?

We pick our peaches as tree ripe as we can and still get them to you in one piece. Generally, peaches that we send are picked either the day of shipment or the day before. We only send peaches and pears 2nd day FedEx so that we can guarantee you a peach that is ready to eat when it arrives. Juice should run down your chin and a smile should move across your face if we have done our job right!

Are your sugar free products appropriate for diabetics?

Since every person is different we won’t and can’t tell you what is right for you. All our apple sauces, fruit butters and peach/apple and pear/apple nectars have no added sugar. They only have the sugars naturally found in our fruit. If you are unsure what is right for you, consult your doctor. You might also check out our sugarless apple pie recipe in our recipe section. It is a favorite for all our family members.

Is your farm 100% organic?

Our farm is treated with 100% organic methods. We are 100% certified by the Colorado Department of Agriculture as a grower and processor under the United States Department of Agriculture National Organic Standards. All the products for sale on our web site are certified organic. We started growing organically in 1994 and have transitioned different parts of the farm at different times since then.

Do you really only sell what you grow and is it grown in Colorado?

Yes and yes. Our mantra is that we only sell what we grow, unlike many vendors that buy products from other growers and then resell them or process them. Everything we sell is grown on our 100 acre farm in Hotchkiss, Colorado.

Is your fruit sprayed?

It is a misconception that organic fruit is unsprayed. We do spray our fruit, but only with certified organic materials. We use biological control as a first defense against pests and only spray when absolutely necessary. The materials we choose to use are soft (meaning they do not harm) on beneficial insects and are of very low toxicity to humans. If you have further questions on our insect control program, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to try to answer your questions.

What does organic mean?

Organic standards are currently defined by the United States Department of Agriculture under the National Organic Act. While this is the set of rules we follow, put more simply we believe that organic growing should be sustainable into the future, it should utilize natural controls wherever possible, and it should mimic an ecosystem to the best extent possible.

Ever year we make changes on our farm to better utilize on-farm fertility sources, reduce weed competition with trees and reduce our problems with pests and disease. We conduct extensive research projects in conjunction with Colorado State University researchers and are always looking for a better way to grow fruit. We help sponsor research symposiums designed to give us information on how we can further improve our organic systems. We realize we still have a lot to learn, but that is part of the challenge and excitement of being organic - paying attention to the world around us, taking lessons from what grows on our farm and learning how we can better integrate practices into our whole system of farming.