3 Reasons I'm Thankful for Fruit Trees

Fruit trees are truly special. They are my favorite part of any yard or garden. I mean, I've written over a hundred articles about them, so obviously they are valuable to me, and the fact that you are reading this article says that they are probably valuable to you too. Here are three reasons I'm thankful for fruit trees.

The Fruit

The obvious reason is the fruit, but fruit is relatively cheap thanks to modern agriculture and it's not hard to come by. As a matter of fact, you can purchase most types of fruit now a days anytime of the year. It doesn't even need to be in season. So why would anyone grow their own? If you grow your own, you know the answer to this question. A tree ripened peach is an experience that you will never have when you bite into a store bought one. Home grown, tree ripened fruit is incredible and I'm thankful for it!

The Work

I like fruit so much, that I made a career out of it, but just because I prune fruit trees for a living, doesn't necessarily mean I get to enjoy the harvest. I prune thousands of backyard fruit trees every year and never see them again until the next season. The small orchard I do manage, from pruning to harvest, produces beautiful apples that are sold at a farm stand in a neighboring community. Some of my customers tip me with homemade apple juice and bottled peaches and I do get a few culls from the orchard (which are still better than anything at the store), but most of the work that I do is enjoyed by other people.

I don't need to enjoy baskets and baskets of apples to enjoy my work. Every day I get to be outside, in the fresh mountain air and work with my hands. It feels healthy. I don't have a gym membership, I don't struggle with sleep, and I don't have a boss putting unnecessary pressures on me. Fresh out of college I did several years pigeonholed in the office populating spreadsheets and I would never go back. I'm thankful for my work.

The Money

Who says money doesn't grow on trees? Money is not the main focus of my life, but I do make a comfortable living off of fruit trees and I'm thankful for the lifestyle it affords me. Like I said above, I don't need to earn money so that I can pay for a gym membership, a fancy sleep system, or a therapist. I work harder than most, but I still find time to enjoy hunting, fishing, and camping with my kids, which is my priority. I'm thankful for fruit trees and the money they provide.

Please comment below and tell me what you're thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you would like to learn more about the care and pruning of fruit trees, please browse our 100+ fruit tree articles here, join our Backyard Fruit Growers Facebook Group, and take our free Fruit Tree Pruning Course. Also, please subscribe to our Fruit Pruning YouTube Channel.