In our previous article, we discussed some basic gardening tools that can help keep someone comfortable when gardening. Kneelers can make planting new plants more comfortable, gloves can protect their hands, and hats can keep someone from getting heat stroke or sunburn.

But when it comes to orchard supply tools, it’s a much different scenario. No longer is someone wanting to protect themselves from the sun for a couple of hours as they tend to their landscaping; orchard workers are out there a minimum of eight hours a day. While a hobby gardener might be topping three or four trees with their pole saw, an orchard worker might be topping hundreds of trees a day.

Of course, the more comfortable a work environment is, the more likely that a worker will enjoy their work and avoid repetitive injuries while they’re at the orchard. That’s why we’re talking today about the orchard supply tools that will keep workers safe and comfortable.

Picking Bags

Picking bags have been a part of orchards for as long as there have been orchards. Unfortunately, the bags weren’t always built with the worker in mind. They would often place the weight in the wrong place on worker’s body, causing the muscles to work unevenly and making it difficult for an orchard picker to work as efficiently day after day. On top of that, picking bags all used to be the same: a smaller harvester would get the same bag as one who spent their off-days lifting weights.

Bags of today are much better for the worker, and, by extension, the orchard. Frostproof Growers Supply’s orchard picking bags are adjustable so that they work with a variety of pickers’ frames. They’re properly placed so that they are more comfortable for workers, and they come in different weight-bearing options to make them more customized for picker and the fruit. And on top of that they’re of the highest quality so that they’ll hold up over many seasons without tearing and losing some inventory.

Sprayers

It would be great if it weren’t necessary to spray herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides on orchards, but it’s simply a necessity in today’s world. We have the highest-quality orchard sprayers available, and they’re also the most comfortable. While they’re not that heavy empty, the addition of the chemical liquid makes them very heavy, so the extra lumbar support and even weight distribution makes them a favorite for anyone who’s spraying trees.

Budding and Grafting

While budding and grafting might be a hobby for some gardeners, it’s an absolute necessity in the orchard industry in order to keep some fruits in existence! Here at Frostproof, we know how important good budding and grafting knives are. A balanced, perfectly-weighted grafting knife is imperative for full days of grafting plants together. It’s also important to have one that will keep a sharp edge, and be easy to sharpen when necessary. Check out the great variety of grafting and budding tools right here.

Hats

Hats are something that the average gardener and the orchard supply worker both need. As we mentioned above, hats will keep workers safer from the heat and reduce the amount of UV radiation that could cause sun cancer. Hard pith helmets can also protect workers from falling branches if they’re topping trees and falling fruit if they’re harvesting. (And if they’re picking oranges, pith helmets become “falling pith pith helmets”!)

Keep Workers Comfortable

A worker that isn’t bothered by their job is more likely to come back day after day, which means an orchard can make full use of their experience. One of the best ways to keep them coming back is to keep them comfortable, and that’s why you should click those links above!