Okaw Valley Orchard

Jim and Linda Bailey founded Okaw Valley Orchard in 1980, opening a store selling cider around 1996. Four years ago, Jim was ready to retire from the apple business and their daughter Jennifer’s husband Mike Mitchell was ready to retire from Mars. They took over the orchard, with Mike focusing on regenerative farming practices and Jennifer on building their store with great products and excellent customer service, making it one of the go to destinations of our community. 

Mike faced a challenge when they took over - trees were dying. Experts diagnosed the orchard with ‘replant disease’ and prescribed resting the soil for 7 years. Mike got a second opinion from an agronomist who became his mentor. The agronomist explained that 50 years of use had depleted the soil of crucial trace minerals. He worked with Mike to identify a spray that fed the soil the nutrition it was lacking and consulted with him on other regenerative practices. The trees began thriving. It takes time to make the transition to soil-focused farming, but the changes are starting to pay off with abundance!

Regenerative Farming relies on nutrition of plants and soil instead of ‘icides’ to fight pests. Mike nourishes the orchard with things like biochar, worm casting and compost. The tree feeds the worms and microbiome of the soil and the soil feeds nutrition and immunity to the tree. As Mike says, it’s a vicious cycle that works in his favor. This year he is further innovating with trellising and cultivating heirloom varieties.

Mike and Jennifer are continuing the Baileys’ goal to make every person who walks through the door feel loved and cared for. Now more than ever, as drought threatens the Western fruit crop, it pays to support local farmers. We are lucky to have them in our community!