Apples throughout the seasons
Orchards have a cycle that extends throughout the year. No season should be neglected!
Winter
It all starts at the start of winter with the pruning of the orchards. This is a crucial step since it is at this moment when the arborist identifies which branches need to be cut in order to make room for those which bear fruit.
Spring
Then comes spring when flowering and pollination begin. This is a period that is very sensitive to bad weather; an early spring that is too cold or too rainy can have catastrophic repercussions for the rest of the activity.
Summer
In order to promote fruit growth, a so-called “thinning” stage is necessary during the summer. It consists of eliminating fruits with defects (insect bites, impacts due to frost or malformations) to leave space for others. Note that “gentle” agricultural techniques are used to limit the use of chemicals. For example, natural predators are introduced into crops to fight against mites and other orchard destroyers.
Autumn
In the fall comes the long-awaited stage... the picking! There is excitement in the orchards. Nearly 5 pickers are recruited to manually harvest the 000 tonnes of apples produced in Limousin. Everything is then transported within 48 hours to different cooperatives before being packaged in cold rooms. Apples “hibernate” naturally and without any treatment.
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