Orchard View Farms names Brenda Thomas new GM
Orchard View Farms names Brenda Thomas new GM
Brenda Thomas, part of the multi-generation Bailey family in The Dalles, OR, was recently named general manager of family-owned Orchard View Farms, one of the larger cherry-growing operations in the world.
Ms. Thomas' father, Bob Bailey, is currently president of the operation, and her uncle Ken Bailey is vice president.
Raised in the farming environs of Orchard View, Ms. Thomas joined the firm in spring 2007 as warehouse manager, though she has been on the company's board of directors for 15 years.
Prior to her official return to the cherry industry, she and her husband, Sterling Thomas, launched a veterinary practice in The Dalles in 1993. Brenda Thomas has a degree from Tufts University in Boston as well as a veterinary medicine degree from Oregon State University-Washington State University. The couple sold the practice last year, allowing Ms. Thomas to become more involved with Orchard View Farms.
"I always knew I'd come back to Orchard View Farms, and I wanted to come back and help keep the tradition going that my great-grandfather and [great]grandmother started in the 1920s when they planted our first orchard," she said in a prtess release.
The majority of Orchard View Farms' acreage is located within 30 miles of The Dalles, and the orchards range in elevation from nearly sea level adjacent to the Columbia River to more than 2,000 feet at a couple of the locations.
"One of the benefits at Orchard View Farms is we have such diverse microclimates right here within The Dalles. This [enables] us to produce cherries from early June to early August without traveling several hours after they are harvested," the new GM said. She added, "Virtually all of the orchards are within a 30-minute drive, and we feel this helps us keep a firm control on our quality."
Bridget Bailey, who is Orchard View Farms' quality control and special projects manager as well as Ms. Thomas' sister, has seen a multitude of changes in the orchards and the warehouse since the two were young girls playing amid the trees.
"We used to have a three-week season, and then we'd all go camping. Our harvest season now runs for as long as 10 weeks, and we are working on the orchards year round. We also used to pack Bings in 20-pound boxes, and that was the extent of our packing. Now we can pack 100 percent consumer packs, and we have countless options, including zippered bags, clamshells, gift boxes and specialty packs," Ms. Thomas said.
"We have also seen a proliferation of cherry varieties, from Chelans and Tietons, which extended our early season, to Sweethearts, Lapins, Reginas and Attikas, which are extending our late season," she noted.
Since the Baileys first started planting orchards in the 1920s, they have always had an affinity for the land. Theirs were some of the early -- if not the first -- domestic cherry orchards to qualify for EurepGAP standards (now GlobalGAP). The family was also recognized as Stewards of the Land by American Farmland Trust in 2002 and recognized by peers with the Good Fruit Grower of the Year award in 2003.
In addition, the operation was one of the early users of ozonated water, which is chemical-free, and, Ms. Thomas said, the best disinfectant available. In fact, she recently provided comments to Forbes magazine regarding the operation's use of Purfresh.
"We want to maintain our farms for our family and the community for years to come," Bridget Bailey said. Ms. Bailey focuses on quality control in the orchards and in the warehouse, and she added, "This means carefully auditing our orchards and warehouses each season to make sure they are living up to our expectations and the standards we set for ourselves, not to mention the standards set by our customers."
Another innovation that helped set Orchard View Farms apart in its early years was its dedication to its workers. The operation has long had worker housing, and this past season it added air conditioning to the units. The company has also helped numerous employees buy their first homes with a home scholarship program.
According to company President Bob Bailey, "One of the most rewarding aspects of my career in the orchards is how family-oriented we are, from my own family to the families of our workers, many of whom are second- and third-generation themselves."
As Ms. Thomas continues to immerse herself in the multiple aspects of running a packing facility and a warehouse, she said one thing will remain constant: "The family will always be there. And the enthusiasm that my dad and uncles, Ken and Tom, have for the business is contagious. We work through our issues and share and celebrate our successes. Working day-to- day with my sister is something we always talked about, and now we are doing it and challenging each other every day."
The Grant J. Hunt Co. is the exclusive sales and marketing agency for Orchard View Farms. According to company President Grant Hunt, who is also a former chairman of the Produce Marketing Association, "Brenda has been a great addition to the Orchard View Farms team. She brings a fresh, new focus and is really helping Orchard View prepare for the future as their tonnage continues to grow. The Bailey family members are truly leaders in the cherry industry, and it's wonderful to see the next generation coming in and playing an active roll."
Ms. Thomas' father, Bob Bailey, is currently president of the operation, and her uncle Ken Bailey is vice president.
Raised in the farming environs of Orchard View, Ms. Thomas joined the firm in spring 2007 as warehouse manager, though she has been on the company's board of directors for 15 years.
Prior to her official return to the cherry industry, she and her husband, Sterling Thomas, launched a veterinary practice in The Dalles in 1993. Brenda Thomas has a degree from Tufts University in Boston as well as a veterinary medicine degree from Oregon State University-Washington State University. The couple sold the practice last year, allowing Ms. Thomas to become more involved with Orchard View Farms.
"I always knew I'd come back to Orchard View Farms, and I wanted to come back and help keep the tradition going that my great-grandfather and [great]grandmother started in the 1920s when they planted our first orchard," she said in a prtess release.
The majority of Orchard View Farms' acreage is located within 30 miles of The Dalles, and the orchards range in elevation from nearly sea level adjacent to the Columbia River to more than 2,000 feet at a couple of the locations.
"One of the benefits at Orchard View Farms is we have such diverse microclimates right here within The Dalles. This [enables] us to produce cherries from early June to early August without traveling several hours after they are harvested," the new GM said. She added, "Virtually all of the orchards are within a 30-minute drive, and we feel this helps us keep a firm control on our quality."
Bridget Bailey, who is Orchard View Farms' quality control and special projects manager as well as Ms. Thomas' sister, has seen a multitude of changes in the orchards and the warehouse since the two were young girls playing amid the trees.
"We used to have a three-week season, and then we'd all go camping. Our harvest season now runs for as long as 10 weeks, and we are working on the orchards year round. We also used to pack Bings in 20-pound boxes, and that was the extent of our packing. Now we can pack 100 percent consumer packs, and we have countless options, including zippered bags, clamshells, gift boxes and specialty packs," Ms. Thomas said.
"We have also seen a proliferation of cherry varieties, from Chelans and Tietons, which extended our early season, to Sweethearts, Lapins, Reginas and Attikas, which are extending our late season," she noted.
Since the Baileys first started planting orchards in the 1920s, they have always had an affinity for the land. Theirs were some of the early -- if not the first -- domestic cherry orchards to qualify for EurepGAP standards (now GlobalGAP). The family was also recognized as Stewards of the Land by American Farmland Trust in 2002 and recognized by peers with the Good Fruit Grower of the Year award in 2003.
In addition, the operation was one of the early users of ozonated water, which is chemical-free, and, Ms. Thomas said, the best disinfectant available. In fact, she recently provided comments to Forbes magazine regarding the operation's use of Purfresh.
"We want to maintain our farms for our family and the community for years to come," Bridget Bailey said. Ms. Bailey focuses on quality control in the orchards and in the warehouse, and she added, "This means carefully auditing our orchards and warehouses each season to make sure they are living up to our expectations and the standards we set for ourselves, not to mention the standards set by our customers."
Another innovation that helped set Orchard View Farms apart in its early years was its dedication to its workers. The operation has long had worker housing, and this past season it added air conditioning to the units. The company has also helped numerous employees buy their first homes with a home scholarship program.
According to company President Bob Bailey, "One of the most rewarding aspects of my career in the orchards is how family-oriented we are, from my own family to the families of our workers, many of whom are second- and third-generation themselves."
As Ms. Thomas continues to immerse herself in the multiple aspects of running a packing facility and a warehouse, she said one thing will remain constant: "The family will always be there. And the enthusiasm that my dad and uncles, Ken and Tom, have for the business is contagious. We work through our issues and share and celebrate our successes. Working day-to- day with my sister is something we always talked about, and now we are doing it and challenging each other every day."
The Grant J. Hunt Co. is the exclusive sales and marketing agency for Orchard View Farms. According to company President Grant Hunt, who is also a former chairman of the Produce Marketing Association, "Brenda has been a great addition to the Orchard View Farms team. She brings a fresh, new focus and is really helping Orchard View prepare for the future as their tonnage continues to grow. The Bailey family members are truly leaders in the cherry industry, and it's wonderful to see the next generation coming in and playing an active roll."
