Stories From the Orchard - August

“Nature never ceases to amaze me,” says Swailey Love, the Farm Manager at Puratos Fourayes.

Even now, at the beginning of August, the orchard continues to surprise with its blossoms, reacting to varying temperatures and climate changes. Despite an unpredictable summer, the orchard has put on an elaborate display of apple and blossom, captivating all who visit.

Assessing the Orchard

Every year, the farm puts out 5000 apple bins, each orchard meticulously assessed for quantities of apples. This assessment determines how many bins are allocated to each orchard. Handling each bin with care, the team ensures the fruit remains undamaged. They start by setting out apple crates in the orchards where picking will begin.

By mid-June, they begin sizing the fruit, which grows between 4 and 6mm per week. This sizing process determines the order in which orchards will be picked.

Estimating the Crop

At this time of year, the June drop has already occurred, allowing the team to estimate the crop size. They count the apples on every 10th tree in every other row, providing insights into the fruit yield and tonnage for each orchard. It’s a meticulous process that combines science and intuition, ensuring a successful harvest.

Eco-Friendly Pest Control

Puratos Fourayes has taken an innovative approach to pest control. We’ve placed earwig shelters made from recycled bottles and corrugated cards throughout the orchard. These shelters aim to increase the earwig population, which helps combat aphids.

In spring and early summer, dense colonies of slate and pinkish-grey aphids develop on the underside of the foliage affecting the leaves at the shoot tips making them curl and yellow. This is where the aphids have been sucking sap from the fruitlets, preventing the apples' normal development.

The results from a trial orchard have been promising, with zero aphids reported!