How do you like them apples?
Seasonal worker Hannes Grosche was going through the rows at Thomas Bros orchard last week when he chanced upon a conjoined pipfruit oddity. The huge Berica variety apple appears to be no less than four fruits fused into one. “It stood out,” the German national laughs.
Knowing it fell well outside the packing standards, Hannes picked the fruit and handed it to the office, where it sits pride of place on the desk of human resources manager Lara Bradford.
The franken-fruit is the exception in an otherwise strong season, with Lara saying the crop is “looking beautiful”, and a bumper haul of apples and kiwifruit coming through.
Early varieties Red Head and Roxy have already been picked, and this Monday was “go day” for the bulk of the crop, says Lara.
It is a similar story at Heywood Orchards, which is easing into pipfruit harvest. Orchard manager Justin Wehner says they have just finished their second pick of Sassy and are now moving into the early Gala varieties, before finishing off the Piqa pears. The main apple harvest is set to begin in early March.
Justin says the fruit is looking really clean, with strong reds, even colouring, and good size and colour progression. “The team at Heywood's have done a fantastic job so far to keep the fruit clean, now the focus is getting that fruit into a bin so the consumer can enjoy.”
The gold G3 kiwifruit is sizing up well, and this season also marks the first full production year of the orchard’s Red19 crop, which will be picked in the coming weeks.
