How to Maximise Your Results with Just a Little More Effort.

Last weekend, I took my wife and son cherry picking for the first time.

We got to the farm nice and early hoping to beat the crowd. It was a sunny spring morning. We paid admission, grabbed a few buckets and hoped on the bus that drove us down to where the actual farm was.

As the field came into view, we saw thousands of cherry trees, neatly planted in rows. A mesh fence ran right around the field but there was a single entrance providing access to one the paths in between two rows of cherry trees.

Since it was early, we were the first group on the scene for the day but judging by the sad state of the trampled grass covering the path, many groups of keen cherry pickers have been here previously.

The bus driver said it was safe to eat cherries right off the tree. As soon as we got off the bus, we headed straight for the nearest trees and started picking and eating cherries.

Now these cherries were ripe but they were small in size and scarcely scattered here and there on branches all over the place. After just a couple of cherries each, we were all somewhat disappointed with their bland taste. After a the anticipation and long drive out, this was such a let down!

My wife suggested we walk down the lane and try some trees further away from the entrance. We walked ¾ of the way down the path and tried a few different trees but didn’t notice any difference. At this point I was convinced this farm was a jib!

When you visit a cherry farm, you’ll notice trees arranged in rows are very tightly packed together. I assume this practice is to maximise the number of trees on a given piece of land.

They are crammed so tight that branches and leaves collide and intertwine together forming a barrier that’s difficult to pass through from one side to the other. The operators made sure only one path was accessible at any given time so visitors only had access to cherry trees on either side of this path.

When I peek through the trees, I noticed the grass over on the next pathway was untrampled. It’s a sign visitors haven’t been on that path recently.

Out of simple curiosity, I wondered if the cherries on the other side of the same trees we have been picking from were any better. It made sense, those that came before us most likely picked all the best ones already.

Sure enough, there was noticeable difference. Not only was the density of cherries much higher, they were fatter and bursting with flavour. This was untapped goodness and because we were the first ones there, we got it all. For the next 30 mins, we filled our buckets and came away with bags of delicious cherries.

So you see, walking the same path as everyone else leads to average outcomes. For exceptional results, it pays to walk off the beaten path.