Adopt your family a cherry tree, your own piece of Central Otago

We grow your cherries & post you your cherries when they're ready.

Choose a TreeForest Lodge Orchard Electric Cherries Logo
Adopt your own cherry tree

We grow your cherries & post you your cherries when they're ready.

Adopt your own cherry tree

We grow your cherries & post you your cherries when they're ready.

Adopt your Tree
Cherries are red and ripe.
Cherries are red and ripe.

Forest Lodge Orchard

Zero fossil fuels, 100% electric, delicious big red cherries, from beautiful Central Otago.

Join us on the journey. Adopt your family a cherry tree.

The Famous Electric Cherries

We're an orchard with a big vision about the future of growing food. We're growing cherries while being kind to the planet.

Electric Cherries as featured on

A round picture of cherries with fireworks behind them.

We’re growing the world’s first 100% Electric food.

Zero fossil fuels used in the growing of our cherries saving up to 60T of carbon every harvest.

Huge export grade cherries, grown for maximum flavour

Not just great for the planet, we pride ourselves on our huge export grade cherries and their incredible flavour.

Cherries growing on a tree.
A group of people standing in front of a vineyard.

Two families, Changing the way New Zealand grows food.

Read our Story
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100% Electric
Zero Fossil Fuels
New Zealand Cherries
Cromwell Cherries
Huge Cherry Flavor
Solar Powered
11342

Visitors to Forest Lodge Orchard

Farm Tours

Corporate tours

School group educational tours

Come and see the future of farming in action, we pride ourselves on giving open and honest tours, where no question is off the table.

We're not here to preach, we've put our money where are mouth is and we want to show you what we've achieved.

Learn more about tours
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Ride the Electric Tractor

Forest Lodge Orchard Fan Club

Legends who have visited our orchard

Sir Ian Taylor

New Zealand Entreprenuer
31.07.23
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"I've been coming here now for maybe six months and I am just absolutely blown away every time I come back. It's reached the stage now where I'm absolutely convinced that this is the answer for the entire country.”

Mark Schwager

President of Monarch Tractors
31.07.23
A man in a suit and tie standing in front of a mountain.
"I've been blown away by how inspirational this farm is with respect to integration of technology, integration of every electrification opportunity imaginable.”“This is the most interesting and forward thinking farm I've ever been on, and the vision of the team here is nothing short of amazing and we just feel honoured to be a part of it.”
A man wearing a black jacket with a yellow logo.

Jake Winters

Head of Impact at Monarch Tractors
31.07.23
“Mike has pulled the future into the present with this. The full scope of electrification showcases a true economically feasible path, and has laid the template for other farmers here in New Zealand and around the world to adopt. We see this as the first stepping stone on an international change to farming practices. And it takes people like Mike Casey from Forest Lodge to bridge that gap.”
A man wearing a black jacket and white shirt.

Damien O’Connor

MP previously Minister of Agriculture
31.07.23
"We have to decarbonise across all of our economies. In some areas like agriculture, horticulture, it's challenging, but with technologies like this, this is showing a pathway forward.”

James Shaw

Former Minister for Climate Change
31.07.23
A man wearing a black jacket and a blue shirt.
“It's really, really exciting, to tell you the truth. It's not going to be very long before the entire New Zealand agricultural system is operating on electricity rather than on expensive, dirty and imported diesel.”
A man wearing a blue jacket and smiling.

Joseph Mooney

MP Southland Electorate
31/07/23
“Making the very first 100% electric orchard in the world, and 1st to import one of these tractors from the United States. It's exciting stuff”

Richard Briggs

EECA Group Manager
31.07.23
A man in a suit and tie standing in front of a greenhouse.
“Mike's got an amazing vision, ad I think that the opportunity for that story to then lead to replication is is really, really exciting for the industry.”“It's really, really important that we remain competitive and options like this certainly demonstrate to global markets that we're serious about what we're doing and we're making concerted efforts to to decarbonize our businesses.”

Jo Hendy

Chief Executive at Climate Change Commission
31.07.23
A woman wearing a purple jacket is smiling.
"It's pretty fantastic, there is so much innovation on the farm. And of course, it's paying off. It's great to see there's a whole lot of potential for innovation in terms of helping in our climate change transition."

Grant Blackwell

Chief Scientist with Climate Change Commission
31.07.23
A man wearing a blue jacket and glasses standing in front of a snowy mountain.
“Mike's got an amazing vision, ad I think that the opportunity for that story to then lead to replication is is really, really exciting for the industry.”“It's really, really important that we remain competitive and options like this certainly demonstrate to global markets that we're serious about what we're doing and we're making concerted efforts to to decarbonize our businesses.”

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All Electric Machines

Not your typical cherries. When you choose electric cherries you're supporting a vision for a better future. Grown right here at Forest Lodge, the world's first 100% electric, zero fossil fuel orchard. Our cherries run on renewable energy sweet, and sustainable. We pride ourselves on providing the highest standard of Central Otago harvest, bringing an exciting taste of the future to every box of cherries.

An electric monarch tractor with a light on top of it.
Two people on the TV show Country Calendar at forest lodge orchard
Look mum we're on the telly

Hyundai Country Calendar

We were lucky enough to have our orchard featured on an episode of country calendar. A kiwi TV classic, Hyundia Country Calendar's mission is to shine a light on the best of New Zealand farming.

We got to talk electric cherries, growing cherries in Cromwell and the UFO style growing.

Together we're better

Our Brand Partners

We believe in the power of collaboration. That’s why we’ve partnered with leading brands in the industry who join in our visions for the future of farming in New Zealand. Our brand partners share our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and the future of farming.

We're so grateful for all the support and trust that our partners put in us as we tread new ground in the farming world.

A man standing in front of a wall with various tools hanging on it.
Pruning

Our trees love a hair cut

Pruning is essential for the health and productivity of cherry trees. During the dormant season, typically in late winter, our UFO trees are carefully trimmed to remove dead or diseased branches and keep them growing upright. This process ensures better sunlight penetration and air circulation, promoting vigorous growth and larger, sweeter cherries.

A woman in a yellow vest is cutting a cherry tree branch.
Pollenation

From Planting to Harvest

Effective pollination is vital for fruit set, and we’ve partnered with Taylor Pass Honey NZ for this next stage. 20 of their bee hives are strategically placed around the orchard when the cherry blossoms reach about 10% bloom. These bees play a crucial role in transferring pollen between flowers, creating healthy biodiversity in the orchard and fertilising our cherries.

Two men are standing next to a trailer with honey bees in it.
Early Growth

The first green cherries apear

As spring approaches, cherry buds begin to swell and develop. These buds are the starter to blossoms, which will later transform into fruit. Monitoring bud development is crucial for timing the next steps in orchard management, ensuring that the trees receive the right nutrients and care.

A cherry tree with green leaves and small green cherry fruits.
Harvesting

Picking the tasty cherries

Harvesting is done meticulously by hand, ensuring that each cherry is picked at its peak ripeness. The hand-picking process helps prevent damage to the fruit and allows for the selection of only the best quality cherries.

A person holding a bucket of cherries.
Packaging

Getting the cherries ready to be sent

Once harvested, cherries are quickly transported to the packhouse where they are sorted and packed to maintain freshness. The cherries are then sorted into size, colour, and quality- ensuring that only the best cherries make it to the market.

A group of workers in orange vests are working in a cherry pack house.