Harvesting The Fruit For 'Worcester College Apple & Pear Juice' 2018

Picking The Apples From The Blenheim Seedling Tree

Throughout the hot, summer months the fruit trees in the orchard have been dropping their crop and, therefore, reducing the yield that will be used for pressing into this year's 'Worcester College Apple & Pear Juice'. The dropping of the fruit has influenced the team's decision to pick the crop earlier than in previous years so the harvesting of the fruit started last week with the picking of the apples from all the small trees which are easily accessible from the ground. The harvesting continued yesterday through to its completion today with the apples and pears on the large trees being picked. All the fruit used to make the juice is hand picked so the tall ladders had to be used in order to reach it on the tallest trees and a long reach fruit picker was used for those wishing to keep their feet on the ground. 

Joss Picking Apples

Graham and Simon Picking Apples

 

Staying On The Ground, Ady With The Long Reach Apple Picker

Kieron Up The Tall Tripod Ladder Picking Apples

The fruit is placed into specialised fruit picking buckets and cloth bags and, when full or too heavy, carefully tipped into plastic 'Stack & Nest Baskets'. At the end of each of the three picking days the full baskets were driven to Waterperry Gardens, unloaded and tipped into third of a tonne wooden bins ready for pressing into juice. Two and a half bins have been filled and pressing will take place next week. 

Unloading The Fruit Picking Bucket

Peter Picking Apples

Boot Full Of Fruit Filled 'Stack & Nest Baskets'

Bin 1, 1/3 of a tonne

Bin 2, 1/3 of a tonne