Adopt-A-SugarBee® Tree
The Adopt-A-SugarBee® Tree program is an invitation for you, someone you love, or your student’s classroom to join us on the year-round journey of growing SugarBee® apples. We will take you through the quiet Winter of restoration while the trees are dormant and into the early Spring season when the trees awaken. You will hear from actual farming families through the excitement of pollination, pruning and fruit development. Enjoy a front row seat to the joys and challenges that we face each season. All the way to the point of fresh crop harvest in fall 2025! If you love SugarBee® apples, don’t miss this this opportunity to experience all of the behind the scenes action and to meet the farming families who grow them.
Adopt-a-Tree™ with SugarBee® Package Options
- Certificate of Adoption
- SugarBee® Plush
- Meet your Grower: Bio and Pictures
- Video updates from the orchard
- 1 dozen SugarBee® apples delivered to home for Valentine’s Day
- Adoption must be processed by February 9th for on time shipping
- Certificate of Adoption
- SugarBee® Plush
- Meet your Grower: Bio and Pictures
- Video updates from the orchard
- Certificate of Adoption
- SugarBee® plush
- Meet Your Grower: Bio and Pics
- Video updates from the orchard
- 1 dozen SugarBee® apples delivered to your home, 4 times a year
- Certificate of Adoption
- SugarBee® plush
- Meet Your Grower: Bio and Pics
- Video updates from the orchard
- 1 dozen SugarBee® apples delivered to home, monthly for 1 year
- $125 Gift Certificate to The Swanky Apple
Classroom Edition
- Certification of Adoption
- Meet your Grower
- Video updates from the orchard.
- National SugarBee® Day Party Pack: May 20
- SugarBee® apples delivered to classroom (1 per student)
- SugarBee® plush (1 per student)
- SugarBee® coloring sheets, stickers, friendship bracelets, and tattoos
Meet the Growers
David Robison
Third-Generation Farmer
David Robison is a third-generation apple grower who has spent over four decades cultivating apples on the family farm his grandfather purchased in the 1950s. With a focus on Honeycrisp, Envy, and SugarBee, David has shaped the farm’s identity and contributed to innovations in the apple industry. SugarBee, his favorite, offers a complex flavor and is easier to grow.
Despite facing challenges like rising labor costs and government regulations, David finds joy in the daily tasks of farm life—working on the tractor, teaching employees, and improving operations. He values simplicity and believes modern apple varieties outshine older ones like Red Delicious in flavor, crunch, and storability.
Looking ahead to retirement, David is preparing to pass the farm to his son, Jake, who has worked alongside him for eleven years. Beyond farming, David enjoys skiing, gardening, woodworking, traveling with his wife Karla, and reading, finding balance between farm life and exploring the world.
Michael Azzano
Second-Generation Apple Grower
Michael Azzano and his wife Megan manage a 250-acre apple, pear, and cherry farm in the Upper Okanogan Valley, inherited from Michael’s parents in 2008. The farm, originally started in the 1970s on just 20 acres, benefits from the valley’s ideal climate for fruit growing. Despite challenges like rising costs, labor shortages, and large-scale competition, Michael remains committed to producing exceptional fruit and preserving the family legacy.
Though he originally studied fine arts at Washington State University, Michael returned to the farm and found fulfillment in running the business. Since taking over, he’s navigated shifts in the industry, including high-density orchard plantings and labor challenges, often relying on the H2-A guest worker program. The Sugarbee apple, known for its honeyed sweetness and crisp texture, has become a standout and consumer favorite.
Michael takes pride in producing high-quality fruit, honoring the legacy of his parents, and looking ahead to future innovations in farming. With the Okanogan Valley’s perfect growing conditions, he remains optimistic about continuing the family tradition of excellence.
Sam Godwin
Third-Generation Farmer
Sam Godwin continues his family’s apple farming legacy in Tonasket, with three generations actively involved. Guided by faith, family, and sustainability, he focuses on producing exceptional fruit, including apples, pears, cherries, peaches, plums, and more. The farm, established in 2001, has evolved through improved fruit genetics, organic practices, and a strong family culture that promotes knowledge-sharing.
Sam’s farm benefits from cooler northern temperatures and small, irrigated orchards. He emphasizes organic and regenerative practices to maintain healthy soil and long-term productivity. Though rising labor and transportation costs pose challenges, Sam is committed to innovation, including future automated harvesting.
He’s passionate about apples, especially SugarBee for its flavor and Honeycrisp’s signature crunch. The farm stand, originally created to test new apple varieties, has become a key tool in selecting popular crops. Outside of farming, Sam and his wife Gwynne enjoy skiing, travel, and exploring new culinary experiences.