Here, long over due, is the real macoy (?) on apples, apple picking and country life. What the hell is a macoy anyway?
Hi All!
Well it is truly scarey to realize I have been picking apples for about 7 weeks now. And even scarier to realize that I have been in NZ 3 months!!! Time has officially started to sail by.
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SUNCREST ORCHARD AND THE FAM-DAMILY
So I have been living with my aunt and uncle, Barry & Robyn. Before this trip I didn't know either of them, having met my uncle once when I was 15. They have welcomed me in completely and have treated me like one of their kids, which has been so good. Barry's kids, my cousins are spread out: Jane is at uni in Christchurch and Paul lives in Auckland. Robyn's kids are all grown up adn live on the North Island.
It has been funny timing really. My aunt has breast cancer, and the day I arrived in NZ she went for her first chemotherapy treatment. She has since endured 3 treatments over the last 9 weeks. She will soon begin radiation therapy. I say it has been funny timing, because I came into their world at a very hard time; dealing with cancer treatment, serious illness, hair loss, and all that everyday life brings. I think my being here has been good for them too, as I help around the house and I am here to support them too.
The Orchard and property is amazing, I think the nicest around here, as it is up on a hill and therefore looks out over the neighbouring orchards. (TO MARK MY 3 MONTHS IN NZ I AM COMMITTED TO SHOWING YOU ALL SOME PHOTOS. HOPEFULLY BY WEEKS END. I know I knoww, you've heard it before....). My uncle grows both apples and lemons. The property is mostly apples, but also lemons. Barry leases another orchard down the road, Caves, where we pick also. A short commute that's for sure.
THE APPLES
Since the beginning we have picked:
Cox's Orange
Royal Gala - different varieties (Galaxy, Eves, Brookfield)
Granny Smith
Braeburn
Fuji
We are currently picking Braeburn, and will be picking this variety from here on in. So far Galaxy have been my favorite; easy picking, beautiful and the name is the best.
Picking apples is not that straight forward. You pick based on size, colour (amount of red on an apple), you sometimes have to only pick 50% of a tree. Sometimes you pick everything (rarely), most of the time you do 2 picks per tree. For example, sometimes you want 50% red all over on an apple, and for other kinds you can only pick apples that have 20% red all over. So it ain't so cut and dry.
Basically to pick a tree to pick the base first then get on your ladder and pick the top. The ladder takes a little getting used to: placing it effectively, and learning to trust it. The last step is always a doozey. One treat to apple picking is being on the top step of your ladder, and looking out over apple tree tops, taking in the beautiful view. Ahhh. Especially early in the morning when the days colour is setting in, sun coming up over the hill, trees getting their first hit of the sun...
I have also become very fond of apples. I think I had a crush on the Galaxy apples. I would pick out the most beautiful ones for gifts, or to decorate my bed side table (when i went to Wellington I decorate my friends hostel room with apples). All the colours and patterns so different. I'm not so fond of the Braeburn, there not as pretty. My obsession has subsided as a result.
The (different) Royal Gala were some of the best to pick too. They had a strong aroma. You could put your face inside your bin and smell warm yummy apples.
DAY IN THE LIFE OF:
I rise before the sun, anywhere from 5:45 to 6:30 depending. Usually I am up by 6am. The sun now rises at 6:30, and I start, most days at 7am, the latest is usually 8am. We work a minimum of 8 hour days, often 10. It all depends on how you feel, how fast you are going, and if we need to finish a block.
I am up and out the door by 6:45am. I gather the dogs and head off to my row. I am often the first person out on the block. Part keener, part love being up and out there early. I actually don't like getting up after the sunrise now. It's such a beautiful time of day. All things coming to life.
We are a small orchard compared to some others in the area. We only have 5-7 pickers (5 up till last week when Barry hired 2 more). But I'll get to the pickers later. We are each given a row. You wear a bag that is strapped to the front of you; it sits in front of your chest/stomach. It strains your back and shoulders. Barry drives tractor all day places bins in the rows, shifting them around, etc. You pick till you fill a bin , then move on to the next. Over time you become faster, and you have a strategy for picking your row.
One day we calculated how much we are picking. Here is what we got:
25 bushels/bin
1 bushel = 18-20 kg
1/2 tonne = bin (or 500kg=bin)
on average we are picking 4 bins/day THEREFORE....
....WE PICK ROUGHLY 10,000 APPLES PER DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wild eh!!!! And lately we have been picking more than 4 bins per day (more like 5 -6).
All the apples we are picking are getting exported out of the country too.
So we work all day, having morning coffe break and lunch. We all usually hang out together at our breaks.
My other favorite part of the day is the end, when everyone has left the orchard and I am left picking. The silence and peacefulness of dusk is pretty cool. It's also the time of day I have a run around with the dogs. They hang out with us all day, sleeping in your row, trying to mooch your lunch, and often begging for a little attention. Bonzo is old so he just likes to sleep, but Sam like you to throw sticks for him.
MIND ROTTING WORK
This is the only real down fall to the work. Yes it is mind rotting. Mind rotting because you have 8-10 hours a day with yourself. And some of you will know how truly gruesome that can be. We definitely chat with one another, over trees, between trees, between rows, but for the most part you are in your own world.
An example of the mind rottingness....one day i was preoccupied analysing Billy Joel's song "We didn't Start the Fire", only to find out that at the very same time, Jane (anothter picker) was analysing the nursery ryhme ."..Bakers Man"
We both probably spent a good hour or two mulling them over....it gets much worse.
We sometimes listen to the radio, but you get tired of that after a few days, and batteries cost $.
Its a shame. I used to think I just had lots of time to think about 'stuff'. That was till my friend James told me it was "mind rotting" work....now I know I have lost the plot (on occasion).
PICKING CREW
So from the beginning it has been me, Ray & Lil, Jane & Allisdaire. Ray & Lil are locals that live down the road. They picked last year for Barry and are the expereiced ones. They are maybe in their 40's. Jane & Allisdaire are from Scotland and have been travelling in NZ for about 6 months. They are cool, Jane is 23 and Allisdair is 25. We have lots to talk about, often talking shit all day long. We have concocted a plan to do an apples pickers zine. We have yet to suss out the finer details. But the 'plan' keeps us entertained and thinking up article ideas. We shall see.
My Dutch friend Martijn came and picked for about a week and a half, just to earn a little $ before heading home (which is in 2 days). And last week Barry hired to more people, 2 young Ozzies, Lauren & Luke. So we are a happy Suncrest Orchard family. Surprisingly we haven't gone out on the piss yet. I better organize a social for us....what slackers.
MISC APPLES STUFF/SOME OF MY FAVORITE PARTS
Getting up with the sun is #1.
These little birds called Fantails come and fly around and visit. They are really cool. They will often land in the tree you are picking, watch you, chirp away and then fly off. I love it.
Being outside: the weather has been the best since we started. I have only picked in the rain about 3 times, and the rest of the time it has been between 16-20 degrees in the day. It is autumn here, so the last 3 weeks the temperature has dropped off. When I get up in the moring it is about 4-6 degrees, but by 9am it can be up to 15+. This area does have some of the best weather in the entire country. Take note if you are planning a holiday :)
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I guess that would be about it.
I'm sure I will think of things to tell after....that's always the way.
I really love the work. It is not hard, really, once your body is used to it. And being outside, with this good weather, has been a treat.
I have spent almost every weekend having adventures: hiking in local parks, boat trips to marine reserves, rock climbing, camping trips, trips to Wellington, trips to Auckland (just spent the Easter long weekend with my sister), some time here biking around the area, some weekends working (probably most till the end). So I have been making the most of my time.
I hope you are good adn can forgive this slack ass blog writer. I think of you all often and fill my mind rotting days with conversations with you and recalling good memories of my life in Vancouver.