Dale Janzen, a tree fruit industry professional, gave me a heads up that a local grower was tree-topping his trees. It is a fascinating process, and I couldn’t wait to get out there! Tree-topping is done by this grower once a year, but on average, growers do it every few years. They cut off the overgrowth at the top of the tree that the pests love to eat. The top parts of the trees are fresh, vulnerable foliage and the best option is to trim it and reduce stress that the pests can put on the trees. The machine that performs this task is a contraption that looks like a tractor at the base, but carries an upside-down blade that rotates spinning saws to cut the trees as it moves in between the aisles. It’s quite the machine, and it gets the work done! It’s a novel way to deal with pests and it’s pesticide free! It’s just another example of how California growers are always looking for new ways to grow a better peach. Take a look at the video as Dale explains the process.