Village Squire, 1978-10, Page 6The original orchard is still going strong. The prime area for
picking now is the "new" orchard which covers about 12 acres
and there's the upcoming orchard. The "new" orchard is the
source of supply for the apples picked by the hired pickers at the
farm. About eight pickers are hired each fall to pick the apples
which are loaded into large crates right in the field to be taken to
the barn by a hydraulic loader on the tractor and loaded into a
wholesaler's truck. The use of the huge bins makes loading the
truck a simple operation instead of the lengthy cumbersome task
it was in the days when bushel baskets were' used. Buck says.
The workforce at Lassaline orchards is mostly made up of
retired people nowadays, Buck says they are the best workers.
very conscientious about doing the job well. Until he started
hiring older people he had the constant problems with workers
that nearly all orchard owners complain of. Younger people
didn't handle the apples as carefully and tended to fool around
instead of working. As for the workers provided by Canada
Manpower. well don't get an orchard owner started on the
subject.
Young people are more apt to find work during peach season
during the summer holidays. The Lassalines have 25 acres of
peaches on the front part of the farm.
Labour problems have led more and more orchard owners into
pick your own operations in recent years. but pick your own is
nothing new at the Lassaline orchard. His father always had such
a policy for windfall apples. those that had dropped off the trees
onto the ground. The policy was extended to picking on the trees
about 10 to 15 years ago. Buck says. In those days a section of the
old orchard was set aside for people who wanted to pick their
own apples. Today the entire old orchard has been turned over to
the customers. Still usually the family's own pickers have to
finish up the picking job in the pick your own section because the
pickers don't get kIl the apples. The remainder is sold for cider
apples.
Although there are orchards spotted throughout Huron
county. it is not a large fruit growing area by comparisori to some
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PG.4. VILLAGE SQUIRE/OCTOBER 1978.
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