Courtney Basil, Manager & Co-Owner of Apex Orchards
Tell us about your business or organization in 50 words or less:
My business partner and I manage an orchard and Farm Store in Shelburne with one of the most spectacular views in Western, MA. We grow a variety of apples and tree fruit as well as peaches, plums, pears,table grapes, sunflowers, pumpkins, squash and Christmas Trees.
What do you love about your job and what motivates you at work?
I love growing food and feeding our community and sharing our beautiful farm with our customers. I find operating equipment and being able to look back at the work you've put in as very rewarding. Although farming has many challenges, I do enjoy the diversity and problem solving skills I have gained from managing a farm. We are so fortunate to have a wonderful crew of workers each season and they really help motivate me to keep going and to continuously improve and grow the farm.
What’s an interesting fact about your business most people might not know?
I think lots of people don't realize just how beautiful the view from our Farm Store is until they visit us! I think they may also visit us and not realize how small our farm is, Tim and I manage the entire farm and seasonally we employ around 20 people to help us through the busy season. We then shrink down to 4-5 crew members who do all of the labor like pruning, packing, delivering and property maintenance/orchard work.
When you’re not working, where in Franklin County do you like to spend your time?
I spend most of my time here on the farm in Shelburne, where I live, with most of our family and friends right here in the community.
Why do you value our Franklin County community and your Franklin County chamber membership?
I value our community's appreciation and support of locally grown food. I think it is so important to see where your food was grown, even meet who labored to grow it and to support our small farms. When you buy from a local farm you are directly supporting your local community, not just one big company or corporation. Our Franklin County Chamber Membership is another way in which we are fortunate to connect with our community and that is invaluable. As farmers, we sometimes overlook advertising, but the Chamber's support through articles, brochures, online mentions, and more can make a big difference in encouraging people to visit our farm.
Anything else you'd like to add?
Our Farm Store is open for the season seven days a week, from 9 AM to 5 PM, with events planned every weekend in September and October. Choose & Cut Christmas Trees begin in November