From blossoms to juicy fruit in a matter of months, the apple and pear trees are groaning with fruit at the moment. The seasonal abundance is all thanks to the quality care that is given to the orchards supplying our fruit. From planting to pruning, from pest control to training – all of these lead up to harvesting at the peak of perfection.
Different apple and pear varieties mature at different times, so our harvest season stretches from February to May. Apples and pears are ready when pip colour darkens and the sugar-to-starch conversion is at optimum level. Fruits on the sides and top of the tree usually ripen first as they receive more sunlight. Ripe fruits easily come away from the tree, the presence of windfalls being a sure sign that we can start harvesting.
Our farms are all situated in the Sonderend River Valley in the heart of the Overberg. It literally translates as “river without end” – so called because somewhere beyond the local town of Riviersonderend the river literally seems to disappear. Our farms lie in a unique climatic region along the river where most of the rain falls when the South Easter blows.
This is where we grow and hand-pick a large variety of apple and pear cultivars, including Golden Delicious, Royal Gala, Top Red, Granny Smith, Cripps Pink, Cripps Red, Cheeky and Packham’s Triumph.
Soon our farms will be bustling with tractors coming out of the orchards, bins filled to the brim. We are ready and excited for what the 2023 harvest season holds!