Page 40 of Pick Your Spot

Jolie and Lawson grinned at him. Burke raised an eyebrow. “Let’s hear it.”

“This place is amazing. The more I explore and learn, the more I like it. To use Jolie’s favorite word, it’s practically bursting with potential.”

“Even though there were only two of them working on the farm last year and only Jay the year before, they managed a small harvest. They not only sold fresh apples but any apples that weren’t perfect were sold to people for baking and cooking. If any of us liked to bake, it would be an obvious add to the property and to the profit column.”

Before they could see that as a negative, he bulldozed on. “But that’s something to think about adding later on. For now, we have a ton to keep us all busy and happy.”

Jolie grinned, and he knew he had her in his corner. “The trees themselves are still producing good quality apples. There are dozens of acres of mature trees. From what I can see, there’s no reason not to manage a small profit this year. Let me show you the harvest barn. Hang on, Amber, and I’ll email you the files.”

He kept talking without giving anyone a chance to respond. “As you can see, the system is already in place, and it’s simply a matter of using it and refining it as we learn more. There are even apples in the cold room from last fall.” He held up one he’d brought in. “They’re delicious and fresh. A product to be proud of.”

Lawson looked intrigued by the barn, so he pulled up a video. “This is the equipment barn. I now know this is a multi-bin truck. During harvest people stand on the side rails and pick the apples. It has to be done by hand so that the apples don’t get bruised.”

Burke frowned. “What happens to the apples that fall? I’m guessing they get bruised.”

Knox grinned. “There’s a hierarchy. Perfect apples get sold fresh. Anything with bruises gets sold for baking and cooking. Peels and cores go into making cider and pectin. It doesn’t sound too hard to add in cider-making. Anything that’s left goes into compost.”

Jolie laughed. “And we’re back to the importance of compost and biodiversity.”

He grinned. “We are. A smart business move would be to lean into regenerative farming. It would eventually give us a classification and have us stand out from the crowd. Not only would it be good for the earth and the farm, it would be a smart business move. People know what’s happening to our planet, and they want to support products that are helping, not hurting.”

Lawson nodded. “Upgrading the equipment to electric or solar would be smart. Better for the environment and more economical in the long term.”

“Our first step would be a Worminator.”

A beat of silence prefaced grins from the family he could see. Amber’s voice held a smile. “A Worminator? Do I want to know?”

He laughed. “It’s Thea’s name for a farm-sized compost facility. Apparently, there is magic in worm poop. The Worminator speeds up the process. Ten tons of compost per acre is an ideal number. With good compost, we’d have even better apples.”

Jolie nodded. “Better biodiversity would help with that. If the farm has been exposed to pesticides for decades, it will need some help to return to top form. This is where the pond comes in. If it’s stagnant, it’ll need some work before it’s helpful.”

Lawson looked at their baby sister. “Do you know how to do that?”

Her smile lit up the screen. “I do. It would be a lot of fun to revitalize the water and the land.”

He had momentum on his side, so he kept pushing. “If we kept the farm, it could be a home base for all of us. We could learn the process together and find out where we best fit to help.”

He wished he could see Amber’s face. “The other farmhouse on the property is even bigger than this one. It would be perfect for a B&B. Well, after some renovations. It would need to be unique to draw people to the area.”

Burke frowned. “Not trying to be an asshole, but why would anyone want to come to the area? It’s a farm in the middle of nowhere, Vermont.”

Amber took that one for him. “A lot of people want a break from the cities. They want to relax and get away from their jobs and their tech. Spending a weekend or a week on a working apple farm could be enticing. It wouldn’t be difficult to add in a few attractions. There’s no need for a lot of action and excitement if it’s billed as a relaxing vacation.”

That was a huge speech for his sister. Even without seeing her, he could hear the positivity in her voice. “Exactly. The farmhouse needs work, so it wouldn’t be an immediate profit but I think you’d have a blast deciding how it should be and making that happen.”

“Can you send me more pictures of the place?”

“I haven’t been inside it yet, but I’ll take some tomorrow. And Lawson, you’ve always wanted to run your own business. You love restoring old vehicles, but you don’t have the time or space. I bet you could find that here.”

“And Burke, you’d love this place. I know you do a ton of your work remotely. You could do it from here. And you could help me with the books and the numbers. I’m competent. You’re better.”

Burke rolled his eyes, but couldn’t hide the smile. He was at least considering it.

“What do you think, everyone? I love this place and think you all will, too.”

Lawson shrugged. “It sounds great. A nice change. I’ve got commitments here for a while, but I can get a week off here and there to help.”

Jolie grinned. “I’m in. I can quit my job and move up to help.”

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