We have been in u-pick for 8 years. 90% of our trees are on 7's. We do not allow ladders. We attempt to strip the tops for wholesale and farmstand sales. About half way through the season we do offer the use of pole fruit pickers. They work pretty good. However with any u-pick operation - I have witnessed - pick one drop three. Pole pickers are sold at most growers supply operations.
We have also worked diligently to bring the height of the trees down to make the picking easier. This takes about three years. It helps with spraying as well. Good luck!! Joanne DiNardo Sholan Farms Leominster, Mass www.sholanfarms.com Sun, Jul 6, 2008 at 11:45 PM, Apple-Crop <apple-crop@virtualorchard.net> wrote: > Apple-Crop Digest #1717 - Sunday, July 6, 2008 > > ladders in pick your own > by "Tommy and Sandy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Re: Apple-Crop: ladders in pick your own > by "Maurice Tougas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Re: Apple-Crop: ladders in pick your own > by "robert kuljis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Re: Apple-Crop: ladders in pick your own > by "Arthur Harvey" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > We are allowing people to pick their own apples for the last couple of > years. We didn't start out as a pick your own orchard and we have larger > trees, 111, 7, and some larger 26's. > In the past we have not allowed ladders or climbing trees. I was wondering > if any other pick your own orchards allowed ladders either supplying them to > people or allowing them to bring their own. Also if ladders are allowed how > much more insurance do you have to carry. Has anyone had any bad claims > because of ladders. > Thanks for responding. > > Tommy Bruguiere > Dickie Bros. Orchard > Roseland, Va > > Tom, > We have operated our PYO Apple and Peaches since 1981. We provide a limited > number of aluminum tripod ladders. We use 4' to 7'. We try to pick the > majority of the fruit above 8' or so ourselves so as to limit the attraction > of climbing by our customers. As it is inefficient to be picking only tops > with ladders, we purchased a self propelled platform last year for > harvesting tops. > Our insurance carrier is Farm Family, and they offer a package which > includes liability coverage for PYO with ladders as a percentage of our > sales. In addition, Massachusetts passed the "Pick your own liability" law > several years ago. > This exempts PYO operators from liability for injuries unless gross and > wanton negligence can be shown. It has been upheld in court, and has been a > great benefit. > We did have an accident back in 1991. The gentleman was on the top of the > ladder when he fell and broke his ankle. The action never went to court, but > persisted for three years and was settled for under $100,000. > > The majority of our trees are now planted on 9's, though we still have a > couple of acres of standards that have been lowered. > I believe the biggest danger is people reaching and people standing on the > top two or three rungs. We mark our ladders with a warning not to stand on > top three rungs, and we number each ladder so we can monitor their > condition. We also post signage telling people they use them at their own > risk, and that they are for use by adults only. > > Best of luck with your PYO. I know the grass is always greener on the other > side of the fence, but I long for the day when the market would allow me to > harvest and wholesale my crop, and shut the gates to PYO. > > Maurice Tougas > Tougas Family Farm > Northboro, MA > www.Tougasfarm.com <http://www.tougasfarm.com/> > > On Jul 6, 2008, at 1:59 AM, Tommy and Sandy wrote: > > We are allowing people to pick their own apples for the last couple of > years. We didn't start out as a pick your own orchard and we have larger > trees, 111, 7, and some larger 26's. > In the past we have not allowed ladders or climbing trees. I was wondering > if any other pick your own orchards allowed ladders either supplying them to > people or allowing them to bring their own. Also if ladders are allowed how > much more insurance do you have to carry. Has anyone had any bad claims > because of ladders. > Thanks for responding. > > Tommy Bruguiere > Dickie Bros. Orchard > Roseland, Va > > > > I would not allow it.. Have not had any claims, but a couple of workers > fell off the ladder on there first day... ONe of them said it hurt pretty > bad, and he broke a good sized branch, but was not injured.. > Some people are just not that bright, or careful, and accidents > happen anyways.... > > I would talk to a lawyer if you really wanted to do it and see if you can > have the pickers sign something saying they are in the ladder at there own > risk... Insurance can go up quite a bit with even one claim > > Robert Kuljis > Thomas Paine Farms > Kings Valley OR > > > On Saturday, July 5, 2008, at 10:59 PM, Tommy and Sandy wrote: > > We are allowing people to pick their own apples for the last couple of >> years. We didn't start out as a pick your own orchard and we have larger >> trees, 111, 7, and some larger 26's. >> In the past we have not allowed ladders or climbing trees. I was >> wondering if any other pick your own orchards allowed ladders either >> supplying them to people or allowing them to bring their own. Also if >> ladders are allowed how much more insurance do you have to carry. Has >> anyone had any bad claims because of ladders. >> Thanks for responding. >> >> Tommy Bruguiere >> Dickie Bros. Orchard >> Roseland, Va >> >> "To some degree it matters who's in office, but it matters more how much > pressure they're under from the public." > Noam Chomsky > > > I would not let the public use ladders, especially if you supplied the > ladder. If you did, any liability resulting would fall on you. And the > chance of accidents is pretty high. > > On another topic, the federal law governing organic foods was recently > amended by lobbyists hired by some manufacturers. This will allow synthetic > ingredients to be added to organic-labeled foods. > If this is important to you, please visit my website, > www.RestoreOrganicLaw.org <http://www.restoreorganiclaw.org/> > > > --- On Sun, 7/6/08, robert kuljis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > From: robert kuljis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Re: Apple-Crop: ladders in pick your own > > To: "Apple-Crop" <apple-crop@virtualorchard.net> > > Date: Sunday, July 6, 2008, 12:06 PM > > I would not allow it.. Have not had any claims, but a couple > > of workers > > fell off the ladder on there first day... ONe of them said > > it hurt > > pretty bad, and he broke a good sized branch, but was not > > injured.. > > Some people are just not that bright, or careful, and > > accidents happen > > anyways.... > > > > I would talk to a lawyer if you really wanted to do it > > and see if you > > can have the pickers sign something saying they are in the > > ladder at > > there own risk... Insurance can go up quite a bit with even > > one claim > > > > Robert Kuljis > > Thomas Paine Farms > > Kings Valley OR > > > > > > On Saturday, July 5, 2008, at 10:59 PM, Tommy and Sandy > > wrote: > > > > > We are allowing people to pick their own apples for > > the last couple of > > > years. We didn't start out as a pick your own > > orchard and we have > > > larger trees, 111, 7, and some larger 26's. > > > In the past we have not allowed ladders or climbing > > trees. I was > > > wondering if any other pick your own orchards allowed > > ladders either > > > supplying them to people or allowing them to bring > > their own. Also if > > > ladders are allowed how much more insurance do you > > have to carry. Has > > > anyone had any bad claims because of ladders. > > > Thanks for responding. > > > > > > Tommy Bruguiere > > > Dickie Bros. Orchard > > > Roseland, Va > > > > > "To some degree it matters who's in office, but it > > matters more how > > much pressure they're under from the public." > > Noam Chomsky > > > End of Apple-Crop Digest > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > The 'Apple-Crop' LISTSERV is sponsored by the Virtual Orchard < > http://www.virtualorchard.net> and managed by Win Cowgill and Jon Clements > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. > > Apple-Crop is not moderated. Therefore, the statements do not represent > "official" opinions and the Virtual Orchard takes no responsibility for the > content. > > > > >
