Cherry orchardists ditch diesel for electricity

Mike and Rebecca Casey have what could be the first zero-fossil fuels orchard in the world. Their Forest Lodge Orchard - growing mainly cherries - in Cromwell has no diesel or petrol on site and has the country's first electric tractor. After selling Mike's startup GradConnection - a network connecting graduates with jobs - to jobs listing company Seek in 2019, the couple bought a six-hectare property with cherry trees in Cromwell. The couple have replaced 20 machines running off fossil fuels with electric alternatives. In January 2022 they completed their first harvest where they were able to command a 15 percent premium compared to other cherries. Next year they want to grow production by 400 per cent in line with the trees reaching maturity. Mike, it will come as little surprise, has a keen interest in the energy transition and is also chief executive of Rewiring Aotearoa - a non-profit dedicated to representing people in the energy system.