We are Listed on Hotfrog.com Website

schellenberg-farms — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:38:34 +0000

Schellenberg Farms is a Grower/Packer/Shipper of fresh Sweet-Treet organic mandarins and Peony Table Grapes. Our Sweet-Treet organic mandarins will be ready for harvest around the first week in February and our Peony Table Grapes will begin shipping the first week of August through September. The crops look great this year and should be sweet, juicy and delicious!

http://www.hotfrog.com/Companies/Schellenberg-Farms

A Day In the Life…

schellenberg-farms — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:39:32 +0000

During the Spring and Summer, I enjoy walking into the fields right before the dawn. Experiencing the peacefulness, except for an occasional barking dog or the chirping of the birds, cool morning freshness and the sweet smell of the orchards and vineyards as the sunrise draws near. It’s like gardening but in a grand scale. I feel close to God and nature during this quiet time. Then suddenly the silence is broken by the simultaneous rattle of the diesel tractor engine and the sound of automobiles approaching in the distance as the workers arrive to begin their day. Within a few brief moments I realize that the business aspect of farming has begun and the thought of gardening becomes a fleeting thought. It’s time to greet the workers. Spanish is the language in the field. As I greet the workers and attempt to engage them in morning pleasantries there are usually chuckles as I massacre the Spanish language with my poor display of Spanish language skills. We somehow manage to communicate though. As the morning progresses there is a sense of urgency. We all work quickly as the temperature rapidly rises, seemingly by the minute. I usually rush from farm to farm checking the fields. I’m always on the lookout for bugs that may have moved into the fields while checking the ripening of the fruit, soil moisture, irrigation and any other field projects. With this information in hand I make plans for the following days, weeks and months ahead. These plans are refined in each successive day. Thanks to the advent of cell phones these task are punctuated with calls from water managers, fruit buyers, packaging suppliers, fertilizer sellers, equipment and parts houses and of course the government regulators. There is always constant communication with the Karen at the office letting me know what else I need to do and with Santiago in the fields letting me know how he sees things. By 2 PM the temperature will be hovering around 100 degrees. Everyone is looking for a cool spot.

The workers have gone home. The fruit is on its way to be cooled and prepared for shipment. It’s time for me to head for the office, if I haven’t been there already. There are always hundreds of e-mails to go through to find that all but 10-20 should have been routed to the junk mail file folder. Bills are paid, government reports submitted, phone calls and e-mails returned and then, as time will allow, a lunch break. After lunch there are meetings with Santiago and Karen to discuss the day’s progress and planning for tomorrow. It’s now around 6PM, dinner and family time.

My wife Michelle is a gourmet chef. The sauces that she makes are the best there is. The readily available fresh fruit and veggies also add much to the flavors. The aromas coming from the kitchen draw me in to sneak a peek into the simmering copper pots in anticipation.
Depending upon the intensity of the day, I try to make some time for the family. That is a priority for me but it doesn’t always work out. Too often after a good dinner, the comfort of the living room couch, the cool breeze of the ceiling fan and the din of the TV and conversations in the background put me to sleep. My two daughters don’t usually let me slumber too long as I become a target of their boundless energy and orneriness. A sleeping father on the couch is too much to resist. Maybe an evening walk with my wife and girls if it’s not too hot or a trip to the gym with my son.
If any equipment is down due to the day’s activities, it’s off to the shop for a couple of hours to make the needed repairs. It’s now 11pm and time to clean up and get to sleep in preparation to do it all over again tomorrow.
To some, this might seem like long days and hard work with little pay. All of this is true. However, if you truly enjoy what you do in life there are never enough hours in a day.