Our Crew
Skip Doty
Owner / FounderSkip started farming a plum orchard in Palisade in 2003. Looking to expand his farming operations he purchased the property that is now Early Morning Orchard in 2009. His mission to provide year-round produce to the community culminated in the formation of his Skips Farm to Market brick and mortar stores, in Basalt in 2017 and Fruita in 2019.
Kaye Davis
Operations ManagerKaye has been with Early Morning Orchard since 2019. Prior to joining the farm, she was a farm-based private chef, curating small -and large-scale dining experiences on local farms in Moab, Utah. Her love for food and farming is based in the belief that the best tasting food is seasonally, sustainably and locally grown and harvested in ways that are ecologically sound by people that are taking care of the land.
Her favorite vegetable are potatoes.
Her favorite vegetable are potatoes.
Kasey Weingarten
Farm ManagerKasey has been with Early Morning Orchard since 2020. She is a graduate of CMU with an Associates of Applied Science in Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry and Sustainable Agriculture. Kasey is responsible for starting the farm's transition to regenerative practices and is committed to feeding people and supporting community through education and implementation of sustainable growing practices.
Her favorite vegetable to grow and eat are tomatoes.
Her favorite vegetable to grow and eat are tomatoes.
Matthew Doty
Nursery SpecialistMatthew joined the crew at Early Morning Orchard as an intern in 2021. A graduate of Penn State with a degree in Plant Science, his specialty is horticulture. Matthew is responsible for seeding, transplanting and harvesting of the crops we grow on the farm. He would like to eventually start his own greenhouse growing operation.
His favorite vegetable is spinach.
His favorite vegetable is spinach.
Tristyn Jacobs
Field Crew LeaderTristyn joined the crew at Early Morning Orchard in the Fall of 2021. A high school graduate and former athlete he has become a great leader and coordinator for the multiple tasks that need to be achieved on the farm. Tristyn is responsible for leading the farm crew in the daily tasks on the farm and is responsible for the orchard harvest and maintenance operations.
His favorite vegetable is cauliflower.
His favorite vegetable is cauliflower.
Travion Shinault
Farm ChefTravion joined the crew at Early Morning Orchard as an intern in 2021. He is currently enrolled at CMU in the Culinary Arts program. Travion is responsible for farm crew meals, creating value added items to reduce food waste and is working on curating dinners on the farm, to start later this year. A master on the grill and an excellent baker, Travion makes sure that the crew has the fuel to achieve what is needed every day.
His favorite vegetable is cauliflower.
His favorite vegetable is cauliflower.
Nico
Farm Dog & Official GreeterNico has been with Early Morning Orchard since 2020 when his owner Kasey joined the team. Nico's official role is to greet everyone who visits the farm and he also keeps morale high amongst the crew.
Nico's favorite vegetable is sweet potato.
Nico's favorite vegetable is sweet potato.
Partners
Early Morning Orchard is a wholesale-sales only farm. We sell our fruit and produce to Skip’s Farm to Market farm stores in Basalt and Fruita, Skips Farm to Market Summer Fruit Stands in Buttermilk and Carbondale and Moonflower Community Co-operative in Moab, Utah. We make deliveries of produce, fruit and other Colorado farm products to these stores and our chef partners weekly.
