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  • From: "Joyce Paski" <jpaski AT msn.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] U-pick apples
  • Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 18:14:28 -0500

Hi, Tom:  All three orchards I've frequented had well-manicured, fairly level sod aisles between tree rows.  One orchard has a dirt/gravel road that runs around the perimeter of the orchard.  This is basically used by the business for dropping off/picking up customers (using a tractor pulled, canopied passenger trailer complete with benches to sit on and plenty of room for strollers and bushel baskets) that want to pick at different areas of the orchard or that don't want to walk from a distant corner of the orchard up to the front check out area lugging a full load of apples.  The tractor "train" makes a round every 10 minutes or so to pick up any customers that are ready to check out.  I notice that many elderly customers use this feature.  My oldest daughter is in a wheelchair and the level sod area is great for pushing her wheelchair.  The tractor "train" is not accessible to us without causing other customers to be unduly delayed so we prefer to walk throughout this particular orchard down the sod aisles.  Dirt/gravel and wood chip covered areas are difficult for wheelchair maneuvering, especially in wet weather.  Two of the three orchards had asphalt paved parking areas.  The third had a sod parking lot.  As much as I hate pavement on farm land, I would recommend a paved parking lot if you expect a lot of traffic if only for ease of maintenance -- sod breaks down quickly in wet weather under heavy traffic. 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Tom at Limerock
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 9:11 AM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] U-pick apples
 
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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