TDN Weekend December 2016 Issue 9
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1075818
things, and to have that freedom, it gives me a lot of creativity and a big canvas to paint a picture." Sadler drew on the parallels between the way the Hronis brothers run their farming and racehorse endeavors. For one, the loyalty shown Sadler is a feature of their business, too. The current administra- tion's immigration crackdown has hit Cal- ifornia's Central Valley—backbone reliant upon seasonal labor—harder than most. And yet, the Hronis's operation has been largely unaffected, said Sadler. "They have a system that works—these guys do every- thing right. They're able to withstand the change in tides because if you do things properly, it'll keep you in good standing." The key, once again, is family. "Actual- ly, we've got some third generations here already, working," Kosta said. "Grandpa worked for my dad. His son worked along- side me. And now, his son's here working with my son. That's really a tribute to the company. It's a wonderful feeling." Interestingly, while they've placed all their eggs into the one basket of the Sadler barn, the term "diversity" seems to be a central and much-quoted business tenet. Just look at the assortment of cit- rus on their sales board. They grow navel oranges from November to March, Barn- field late navels from March to April, and Valencia oranges from April to May. You'll find Cara Cara oranges and blood orang- es and Minneola tangelos on that list, too. The same with their table grapes. "We pick grapes somewhere in the world every day right now. We're in California. We go to Peru. We go to Chile. We go to Mexico. And then, we come back to California." Variety in crops—variety in business at large. Kosta talked about the sustainable farming practices they employ, to conserve water, enrich soils, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It all speaks of a willing- ness to branch out and adapt. Same with the racehorses. "John's no different. I just look at him as one of the branches here