Cherry Dog Orchards in Fallon is a labor of love.
Six years ago, Karen Nichols and her husband, Louie Adame, were looking for a new place to live. They had no idea, as they drove to Fallon to see a house, that they would end up owning an orchard two months later.
“We moved in and immediately were picking fruit,” Nichols says. “There was no honeymoon period. Thank goodness the kids were here because it was full-on harvest.”
Today, Cherry Dog Orchards sells fresh fruit in the spirit of organic — without United States Department of Agriculture certification — to Great Basin Community Food Co-op in Downtown Reno. The small homestead on the southwestern edge of Fallon grows 170 fruit trees that bear several varieties of cherries, including Bing and Rainier; apples; peaches; pears; table grapes; plums; and apricots. The farm also is home to 50 chickens, which produce eggs that the family sells.
Nichols follows organic pest-control rules, waters the trees daily with a sprinkler, and recently started beekeeping to ensure healthy pollination for the orchard. In addition to managing the orchard, Adame and Nichols commute to Reno and Sparks for their day jobs. Nichols owns Red Carpet Events & Design in Sparks.
“It’s tough because in the events world, your busy time is the summer, and in an orchard, your busy time is the summer,” she says. “May through October is a balancing act between the two businesses. I’m glad I have such an amazing team at Red Carpet.”
Nichols and Adame harvest early in the mornings before work when the fruit still is cool. By 9 a.m., sugars in the fruit are high enough to make them more susceptible to bruising. Family, friends, and neighbors help them harvest because of the limited window.
“We hand harvest every single cherry,” Nichols says. “The price is so high because of how long it takes. And that’s what makes them different. They’re only traveling 50 miles instead of the average 1,100 miles.”
Most of the harvesting happens two weeks after the Fourth of July. But despite the rush and inevitable stress, Nichols loves it all. She’s even considering opening a second event business in Fallon.
“Last weekend when I had to be on the John Deere at midnight watering these trees, I was like, ‘I love this. This is fun to me,’” she says. “There’s something about it. You feel like you’re taking care of something really important. Farming is not a huge money-making endeavor. I do this because I love it, not because it’s how I earn my living. It’s important to provide people with food that’s local and good for them and teach kids where food comes from instead of just getting produce in the grocery store.”
Shortbread Cherry Bars
(courtesy of Karen Nichols, co-owner, Cherry Dog Orchards in Fallon. Makes 16 bars)
1 stick, plus 5 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups pitted Cherry Dog Orchards cherries
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon coarse salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 8-by-8-inch pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Spray the parchment paper.
Beat the butter with sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add flour and salt, and beat until dough forms clumps but doesn’t completely hold together. Press 2½ cups of the dough mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan to form a crust.
In a bowl, stir together cherries, sugar, flour, lemon juice, and salt. Pour cherry mixture on top of crust.
Crumble remaining crust mixture evenly over the top, squeezing to create clumps. Put pan in oven and bake until bubbling in the center and crust is golden, about 1 hour. If it’s browning too quickly, tent the top with foil.
Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.
