108 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM The Man of the Orchard “I’ve always had a strong interest in plants and growing things,” Hans says, tugging off his own gloves to reveal palms weathered from a lifetime of working with his hands. Before taking over the orchard, Hans worked as a mechanic, then as a Christmas tree farmer, selling Douglas firs, sequoias and Scotch pines while expanding his understanding of agriculture. I certainly see the appeal of the La Honda hills. To get here, I drove a long winding road mostly flanked by evergreens— the occasional bigleaf maple adding bright splashes of yellow like leafy fireworks. Hans’ passion for plants was fostered by a childhood spent amid old-growth forests in the Santa Cruz Mountains with his green-thumbed father. “He worked at a nursery when he was in high school,” Hans says of his dad, “and he’d always dreamed of starting a nursery.” He recounts fond memories of frequent family road trips across California, including annual summer stops at apple farms in Mendocino. “Most of the trips that I went on with my dad and my brother and sisters were agriculture-oriented in some way.” Years later, Hans came to check out the chestnut orchard. “I fell in love,” he recalls. For anyone who’s visited Skyline Chestnuts, it’s no mystery. “The whole orchard is in a half-bowl. You can walk up to the top of the ridge and see all the way out to the PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHANNA HARLOW / OPPOSITE: ROBB MOST ABOVE: Hans Johsens leans against a tree at Skyline Chestnuts in La Honda.
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