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  • From: "Tom at Limerock" <limerock AT thirdplanet.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] U-pick apples
  • Date: Tue, 20 Apr 2004 10:10:57 -0400

Joyce,

Thank you for your insights! In hindsight, I should have gone u-picking
last fall to see how others run and maintain their orchards. Speaking of
maintaining, did you find the orchard ground to be: manicured and quite
flat; somewhat so; or strewn with some branches, tall grass and bumpy?

Tom

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joyce Paski" <jpaski AT msn.com>
To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 9:11 AM
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] U-pick apples


On April 20, 2004, Tom at Lime rock asked:
<Do you post rules and point them out to the people? Does anyone use a
written/signed 'release' form? (Am I too paranoid?)

What do you have them pick into?

Are you selling by weight or volume?

How do you set your pricing (U-pick compared to retail at your market)?>


I don't have a U-pick, but I've taken my children apple picking for many
years. The u-picks we have gone to (in Illinois and Indiana) have been lots
of fun and the following are my observations:
(1) a poster of written rules at the entrance is more helpful as a reference
than trying to listen to a employee tell you where and what to pick while
you are trying to keep small children in hand;
(2)rows of apple trees well-marked as to apple type and whether that row is
ready to be picked is VERY helpful to someone not familiar with apples;
(3)all the orchards I've been to sell by weight (last year I paid .79/#);
(4)the u-picks provided half bushel baskets or heavy duty plastic bags for
purchase by pickers. One orchard provided wheelbarrows for pickers. Some
years back my husband put a new, wider plywood bed on our children's old
Radio Flyer wagon and reattached the side supports which makes the wagon
perfect for holding two full bushel baskets of apples (my usual annual
purchase since I am a canner). Every year we use that wagon someone either
offers to buy it from us or we hear them say they wish they had done what we
did. Wagons are better than wheelbarrows.

Hope this helps.



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