Hugh, It is a small problem. One because I have either myself or a helper roaming the Orchard when pickers are present giving instruction on proper picking. Second I have a loop running on a "TV" when you check in that shows proper picking technique. I excerpted/cut it from a training video put out by PENN State.
Not sure the video does a Ton to help but, the helper is diligent with showing Adults and children alike a good technique. I've even toyed with giving parents who "instruct" their children a ticket redeemable for a 1/2 peck of apples when they return to the checkout point. administering that could be very difficult/futile so its just an idea at the moment. On Sat, Jul 5, 2014 at 6:17 PM, Hugh Thomas <hughthoma...@gmail.com> wrote: > Michael, > How much damage to the trees do you have do to children? (and careless > adults) > > > On Sat, Jul 5, 2014 at 9:30 AM, Michael Vaughn <mvaugh...@gmail.com> > wrote: > >> I have a Tall Spindle Orchard (PYO) in the Endless Mts. of Northern >> Pennsylvania about 1/2hr south of Binghamton, NY. The planting is in its >> 6th year; 3ft spacing with 13 ft between rows, approx. 3 acres. The >> rootstock is Bud 9 and M-9 depending on the variety. Real easy to prune >> and maintain. Minimum to NO ladders except at the 10Ft + height as the >> trees matured. My best customers are >> families with children under 15 yrs. because they can all reach 80% of >> the fruit. >> >> >> On Fri, Jul 4, 2014 at 1:06 PM, Kevin Hauser <ke...@kuffelcreek.com> >> wrote: >> >>> This photo is at a PYO in Massachusetts not far from Belchertown that has >>> nice-sized trees for pedestrian picking, with the highest apples within >>> kid-sitting-on-the-shoulder's reach. Marty is 5'2" and so you can see >>> the >>> scale. The clerk didn't know the rootstock, but my guess is something >>> smaller than Bud. 9 or M9. >>> >>> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/100097230/PYO%20Mass.JPG >>> >>> Kevin Hauser >>> Kuffel Creek Apple Nursery >>> Riverside, California >>> Nakifuma, Uganda >>> >>> On Fri, 4 Jul 2014 11:29:24 -0400, Arthur Kelly <kellyorcha...@gmail.com >>> > >>> wrote: >>> > Maximum yield isn't necessarily the same thing as maximum sales. In my >>> > opinion, the selling is more important than anything else. Yes, good >>> > yields of good quality fruit is important, but being good at selling >>> and >>> > how much you are able to get for what you have to sell trumps >>> everything >>> > else. If you are able to sell for $40.00/bu what needs to happen to >>> get >>> > that price in terms of customer experience is the priority. >>> > >>> > p.s. No, we are not able to get that much but there are farms in the >>> area >>> > that do. We still wholesale a large percentage of the crop. >>> > >>> > Art Kelly >>> > Kelly Orchards >>> > Acton, Maine >>> > >>> > >>> > On Thu, Jul 3, 2014 at 2:13 PM, David Doud <david_d...@me.com> wrote: >>> > >>> >> not an expert here, but it's my understanding in a spindle system the >>> >> space between trees in the row is determined by what renewal pruning >>> will >>> >> fill and that much over 3' between trees in most situations would >>> require >>> >> permanent woody architecture to keep the space filled, which brings >>> about >>> >> several horticultural challenges - >>> >> >>> >> then the space between rows versus the height of the trees becomes a >>> >> calculation to maximize yield - >>> >> >>> >> in a you-pick situation I'd suggest that maximum yield would be a >>> >> secondary consideration to logistics - that wider rows and shorter >>> trees >>> >> for convenience and safety would override a certain percentage of >>> maximum >>> >> theoretical yield - >>> >> >>> >> I shudder to consider what strategies the public might employ to >>> harvest >>> >> that beautiful apple just out of their reach... >>> >> >>> >> if my understanding is incorrect, feel free to challenge - >>> >> >>> >> David >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> On Jul 3, 2014, at 11:21 AM, Matt Pellerin wrote: >>> >> >>> >> Thanks for the responses. I was thinking of going to a 10 x 3 orchard >>> >> growing Honeycrisp on M26 and Macoun on Bud 9. I think the 10 x 3 >>> >> spacing >>> >> puts the tree height at 8.5' which will work pretty well for >>> >> pick-your-own. >>> >> On this kind of spacing, will I still be within the Tall Spindle >>> >> category? >>> >> Will I have to make adjustments in my pruning methodology or will the >>> >> typical tall spindle pruning and training recommendations work? >>> >> >>> >> Thanks, >>> >> Matt >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> On Thu, Jul 3, 2014 at 8:26 AM, <kuffelcr...@kuffelcreek.com> wrote: >>> >> >>> >>> I concur with Dennis' evaluation of Dr. Robinson's videos; this >>> system >>> >>> has >>> >>> forced even stubborn high-chill varieties to transition from >>> vegetative >>> >>> mode to fruiting mode in hot climates and the tropics. >>> >>> >>> >>> I wanted to address Matthew's desire to keep the trees around 6' >>> tall. >>> >>> This sounds like it would take a very dwarfing rootstock like M27; do >>> >>> any >>> >>> of our growers have experience training these as tall spindle? >>> >>> >>> >>> Kevin Hauser >>> >>> Kuffel Creek Apple Nursery >>> >>> Riverside, California >>> >>> Nakifuma, Uganda >>> >>> >>> >>> On Thu, 3 Jul 2014 00:23:19 -0500, <dmnor...@royaloakfarmorchard.com >>> > >>> >>> wrote: >>> >>> > matthew, >>> >>> > >>> >>> > We have been growing tall spindle in northern Illinois in a >>> >>> pick-your-own >>> >>> > orchard for around 5 or 6 years now. The system has been improving >>> >>> > over >>> >>> > the years and currently the newer spacing being recommended by Dr. >>> >>> Terence >>> >>> > Robinson >>> >>> > from Cornell is around 12' x 3'. I highly recommend watching the >>> >>> > videos >>> >>> > at YouTube he did at the Winter Apple School in Henderson County, >>> NC >>> >>> found >>> >>> > at http://youtu.be/gJF4wLgXnK8 >>> >>> > >>> >>> > After viewing this video and others on the BRCC TV - The >>> Educational >>> >>> > Channel on YouTube covering the Tall Spindle System, we will be >>> making >>> >>> the >>> >>> > recommended changes to our current system of 14' x 4'. >>> >>> > >>> >>> > Hope this helps. >>> >>> > >>> >>> > Dennis Norton >>> >>> > IPM Specialist/Certified Nurseryman >>> >>> > Royal Oak Farm Orchard >>> >>> > 15908 Hebron Rd. >>> >>> > Harvard, IL 60033-9357 >>> >>> > Office (815) 648-4467 >>> >>> > Mobile (815) 228-2174 >>> >>> > Fax (609) 228-2174 >>> >>> > http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com >>> >>> > http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.blogspot.com >>> >>> > ----- Original Message ----- >>> >>> > From: Matt Pellerin >>> >>> > To: apple-crop@virtualorchard.net >>> >>> > Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2014 2:55 PM >>> >>> > Subject: [apple-crop] Narrow Tall Spindle Layout >>> >>> > >>> >>> > >>> >>> > I am a grower in central Maine that operates a pick-your-own >>> >>> > orchard. >>> >>> I >>> >>> > will be planting a tall spindle orchard next year. I would like >>> to >>> >>> plant >>> >>> > the rows as narrow as possible in combination with shorter trees >>> so >>> >>> the >>> >>> > customers can reach more of the fruit. My orchard tractor is 54" >>> >>> wide. >>> >>> > How narrow can I plant my tall spindle orchard with this >>> equipment? >>> >>> > Also, what would be the appropriate tree height at the narrow row >>> >>> > spacing? >>> >>> > >>> >>> > >>> >>> > Thanks, >>> >>> > -- >>> >>> > >>> >>> > Matthew Pellerin >>> >>> > Agricultural Manager >>> >>> > Treworgy Family Orchards >>> >>> > 3876 Union St >>> >>> > Levant, ME 04456 >>> >>> > >>> >>> > www.treworgyorchards.com >>> >>> > >>> >>> > 207-884-8354 >>> >>> > >>> >>> > >>> >>> > >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> >>> > >>> >>> > >>> >>> > _______________________________________________ >>> >>> > apple-crop mailing list >>> >>> > apple-crop@virtualorchard.net >>> >>> > http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> >>> apple-crop mailing list >>> >>> apple-crop@virtualorchard.net >>> >>> http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop >>> >>> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> -- >>> >> Matthew Pellerin >>> >> Agricultural Manager >>> >> Treworgy Family Orchards >>> >> 3876 Union St >>> >> Levant, ME 04456 >>> >> www.treworgyorchards.com >>> >> 207-884-8354 >>> >> _______________________________________________ >>> >> apple-crop mailing list >>> >> apple-crop@virtualorchard.net >>> >> http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> _______________________________________________ >>> >> apple-crop mailing list >>> >> apple-crop@virtualorchard.net >>> >> http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop >>> >> >>> >> >>> >>> -- >>> Kevin Hauser >>> _______________________________________________ >>> apple-crop mailing list >>> apple-crop@virtualorchard.net >>> http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> Michael D. Vaughn >> Owner / Manager >> Pie-In-the-Sky Orchards >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> apple-crop mailing list >> apple-crop@virtualorchard.net >> http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > apple-crop mailing list > apple-crop@virtualorchard.net > http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop > > -- Michael D. Vaughn Owner / Manager Pie-In-the-Sky Orchards
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