Today, we took a trailer load of tree limbs we’d trimmed in our orange orchard to the C.R.E.W. drop-off spot, where workers were waiting with a chipper. It took them about twenty minutes to pull out all the limbs we’ve cut over the past few weeks. We gave them a sizable tip to acknowledge the value of this free service and then went on our way with an empty trailer. It was a great feeling knowing we no longer had a mound of dried tree branches posing a fire danger.

C.R.E.W. stands for Concerned Resource and Environmental Workers and is a chance for youth and young adults to do something positive in these fire-prone hills. They not only offer monthly brush drop-offs for chipping, but also brush clearing, trail maintenance, and habitat restoration. A non-profit organization that’s been around since the early 1990s, C.R.E.W.’s mission is “to give young people employment and develop lifelong skills through environmental work that restores natural land and protects communities against wildfire.”

Thank you, the C.R.E.W., for giving small grove owners like us the chance to have multiple opportunities for your chipping service. Our 250 orange trees are healthier and our grove safer because of you.

Here are a few photos of the workers today chipping branches from our Valencia orange trees.