Forest Lodge Orchard Blog

ChatGPT said: Spring has sprung at Forest Lodge Orchard! Our cherry trees are waking up, bees from Taylor’s Pass Honey are busy pollinating, and we’re using electric fans and micro sprinklers to protect the blossoms.

At Forest Lodge Orchard, we're flipping the script on farming and energy. With a 100kW solar array, 300-volt batteries, and a partnership with Aurora Energy, we’re not just cutting emissions—we’re selling power back to the grid and aiming for a negative $10,000 power bill.

We’ve just installed a game-changing Panasonic battery system with Sunvolt Enterprises—taking us from 48V to 300V! This upgrade means more power, better storage, and the ability to export energy back to the grid.

We recently joined the Electrifying Queenstown event at Millbrook Resort, where our own Mike Casey shared how Forest Lodge Orchard is leading the charge in electric farming. From our Monarch MK-V tractor to our carbon-zero mission, it was awesome to be part of the movement toward a fully electric future.

We had an incredible time at Fieldays 2024 in Hamilton, where we debuted our fully electric Monarch Tractor—thanks to ASB Bank—for the first time in the North Island. From engaging with passionate farmers and industry leaders to chatting with MPs like Damien O’Connor, Tim van de Molen, Joseph Mooney, and Todd McClay- sustainability is gaining real momentum!

Curious how we're mulching half our orchard on a single charge and saving money while staying true to our zero-carbon goals? Dive into our newest blog post to learn how this powerful duo is making our operations more efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly.

Recently, we had the thrill of welcoming Country Calendar to Forest Lodge Orchard—a chance to showcase our cherry orchard and sustainability efforts on a national stage.

Big news from Forest Lodge Orchard! We’re set to receive the very first electric MK-V Monarch Tractor exported outside the US. 🌱🚜 Catch the buzz from our visit to California and find out why this game-changing tractor is a perfect fit for our fossil fuel-free farm.

Last month the final version of what we believe is the world's first electric foliage sprayer was built to run off the back of an electric tractor - and it works perfectly!

One of the fair and reasonable questions we often get from other farmers is about the loss of income that can occur due to an unscheduled power...

In 2020, we imported two 30 kilowatt (kW) AGI electric frost fans, which are the first...

There has already been a huge amount of interest in our orchard and our upcoming episode on Country Calendar has already led to a heap of questions...

The great thing about eliminating fossil fuels entirely from your business is that you discover so many other people with a similar passion for the...

A huge thank you to the Sustainable Energy Association of New Zealand for inviting us to speak about our electrification journey, the elimination...

The dawn of a new era in zero-emission food production and farming is almost upon us, with the development of two vital pieces of hardware near...

The horticulture industry does not have a strong reputation in New Zealand when it comes to the treatment of workers. It's stories like the recent...

Euan and I had the privilege of being invited to see the Monarch Factory in California and play with one of their pilot vehicles.

At some point this week, we expect to have a large article written about us in the Otago Daily Times. I thought I would be proactive and provide...

We are thrilled to be part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA)'s GenLess campaign, which has recently gone live on TV in New...

In 2021 we ran a data experiment to see how effective we were in estimating the total size of our harvest in January 2022.

We have just had a well earned break following a mammoth effort by so many of our team and supporters, and it's finally time to share our...

Earlier this year, we eliminated all fossil fuels from both our orchard and our family home. When we first moved in, our home was equipped with a...

We are thrilled to have been included in the BNZ 2021 Sustainability...

Euan, our orchard manager, and his wife Rachel have just bought a shareholding in Forest Lodge Orchard. They have been tirelessly working on our...

On Friday, the 15th of October 2021, we hosted around 30 young growers from Central Otago. The leader of the Young Growers group, Jordan Carroll...