Our Process

Our crossing season runs from the end of October to the middle of December. During the crossing season the fields are surveyed twice a week and the varieties that are flowering as well as the number of arrow available for each of those varieties is recorded. Using that information we decided what are the most optimal crosses that can be performed with the available material, taking into account the specific needs of our clients. During peak flowering we will perform over 400 crosses in a week, and annually we produce between 1000 and 1300 crosses. The varieties are then brought from the field to the crossing house where they are placed in crossing lanterns or, for our very large crosses, outside in isolated crossing frames. The crosses are then allowed to sit for 10 days after which all of the flowers on the arrow will have open. At this time the male arrows are discarded and the female arrows are allowed to mature until fuzz matures and begins to fall off the arrow. At this time the arrow is dried overnight, a half gram sample is taken to test for germination and the remained is stored until it is distributed to our clients.