The orchards are standing on the edge of transformation. In just a few weeks, the first blossoms will break open, covering the rows in soft pink and white. For now, the trees are still holding back, quietly storing the last of their winter rest before spring sets the season in motion. On the farms, this in-between moment is a busy one: pruning shears make their final cuts, trellis posts are tightened, nets are repaired, and irrigation systems are flushed and checked so they are ready for the demands of warmer weather.
The winter just passed has given us reason to feel quietly optimistic. Across Villiersdorp, Helderstroom, Greyton, and Riversonderend, rainfall during June and July was steady and generous, replenishing soils and filling the farm dams that carry us through the hotter months. By August, conditions turned drier, with fewer cold fronts pushing inland, and that meant closer attention to soil moisture in the orchards. Even so, with good winter rain behind us and water reserves in a healthy state, we enter spring with confidence that our irrigation systems are well prepared for the demands of the new season.
For apples and pears, winter chill is the invisible foundation of the year ahead. The cold hours accumulated during dormancy determine how evenly buds wake and flower. This year, chill units were strong enough across most of our production areas, setting the stage for buds to break more uniformly. That translates into a tighter, more even bloom, which in turn makes thinning more effective and helps us achieve the balance needed for quality fruit later in the season. In blocks where cold was slightly less, our teams are ready with the right tools and strategies to support budbreak.
The promise of the new season always comes with its share of caution. Weather forecasts point to a possible shift towards drier conditions in spring, even as global climate signals suggest more rain could arrive later in the year. For our valleys, the key is flexibility: careful water scheduling, continuous monitoring, and readiness for whatever the season brings. The Western Cape fruit industry as a whole remains cautiously positive, with growth in apple and pear exports expected to continue, but ultimately it will come down to what unfolds in the orchards in the weeks ahead.
Our focus remains the same: preparing thoroughly, staying watchful, and working with nature rather than against it. Soon the orchards will wake. Bees will arrive in the rows, pollinating the blossoms as they open, while crews move quickly through the trees to thin and balance the crop. This is the moment where the foundation of the harvest is laid.
It is a season that demands patience, precision, and care — but also one that carries the quiet excitement of renewal. From the cold, steady winter that has just passed, through the careful preparations now, we look forward to seeing the orchards burst into bloom and begin another season’s story.