Last of the summer fruit

• Published date: 25 April 2024
• Publication title: Central Otago News

Autumn colours and cooler days mean summer fruit is almost gone but growers are not getting a rest just yet

In Roxburgh, Big Cherry Orchard owner Chris Toms said the season had wrapped up pretty well.

‘‘We had good fruit right through the season.’’

Staff had been easy to source and they were really lovely people, he said.

This year he had travellers from France and Italy who were wonderful. During the picking season the orchard employed 18 to 20 people to pick the cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines and plums they grew.

Pruning was under way and that was done by small team. Pruning was a skilled, vital task with...