The Invisible Work of Farming

By the time an apple reaches the shelf, most of the work that shaped it goes unseen. At Clark Brothers Orchards in Ashfield, Massachusetts, that work begins long before harvest.

“I don’t think customers have a clue how much time and care goes into caring for the land,” says Naomi Clark of Clark Brothers Orchards. “It’s a labor of love all year round.”

That labor of love shows up in what Naomi pays attention to each day. Watching the weather, noticing changes in buds, leaves, and fruit, responding to pests and shifting conditions as they come. The work rarely calls attention to itself, it simply builds over time.

Naomi’s family farm is EcoCertified^® through a sustainable growing program backed by the Integrated Pest Management Institute (IPM). Grounded in rigorous sustainability standards, the protocol centers on protecting pollinators, building healthy soil, preventing pests and focusing on long-term orchard health. These standards are mandatory for certification, and verified by a thorough inspection prior to harvest.

“Making choices that benefit the trees and the land they’re grown on is how we hope for a good crop and make it to another year,” says Naomi.

But good stewardship alone does not determine whether a farm survives.

Small and mid-sized farms often move their produce into supply chains where pricing, timing, and recognition are shaped beyond the orchard itself. For growers like Naomi, staying in business depends not only on how they farm, but on whether the market makes room for farms like theirs.

That’s where nonprofits like Red Tomato step in.

By working alongside farmers who are navigating markets where pricing is tight and competition is steep, our role is not to define their work, but to support it. Red Tomato helps carry the grower’s story forward by building relationships with buyers who value both the fruit itself and the way it is grown, and by working to secure pricing that honors the care behind every harvest.

Buying food takes a moment. Growing it takes much longer: patience, attention, and the willingness to begin again each season. Our role is to help ensure that this long work is recognized once the fruit leaves the orchard, so farms like Naomi’s can continue tending their trees year after year.