Sarita Orchard is one of many commercial cherry orchards in Central Otago, with simple values: grow safe, high-quality cherries, don’t wreck the environment, and treat all staff like humans, not robots or numbers.
“I also believe in improving things every year, even if the weather sometimes has other plans. More challenges mean more lessons, whether you wanted them or not,” said Orchard manager, Veronika Zoudunova.
Zoudunova didn’t grow up dreaming of cherries; today, she spends most of her life thinking about trees, weather forecasts, and whether the trees are happy.
She enjoyed practical work, being outdoors, and jobs where no two days are the same, and said that fruit growing definitely delivered on all of that.
“It keeps you humble and permanently checking the sky, especially during the harvest. Grow good fruit, look after the land, and look after the people who work here,” she said.
The Central Otago region is incredibly special because the freezing winters and blazing hot summers allow the cherries at Sarita Orchard to develop character. The trees get a proper winter rest, then wake up in spring, ready to show off. The sunshine gives the fruit its colour and sweetness, and the cold keeps them tough.
The dry air means fewer diseases, allowing the orchard to focus more on growing good fruit rather than constantly fighting problems. At the same time, the free-draining soils stop the trees from getting wet feet.
“Basically, Central Otago cherries are sweeter because they’ve been through a bit of hardship. You can taste the drama in every bite.”
Although Zoudunova said it was hard to choose a favourite, Samba and Lapins were special to her.
She said that Lapins are a very reliable variety, as they are self-fertile, crop well, produce large, dark cherries with great flavour, and appear every season.
On the other hand, the Samba can be a bit demanding, but when it works, it’s incredibly satisfying with big, deep-red cherries and great flavour.
“Each variety has its own personality and its own challenges, and that’s what keeps the job interesting. You never stop learning how to grow them better.”
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