Apple harvest 2024: perfectly ripened variety by variety

September, October and then until the middle or even the end of November - that's how long we harvest in our mountain apple orchards. The first apple is our Rouge and the last one to be harvested is the Wintercalville, which can withstand lower temperatures well.

 Precise planning & enforced breaks

The harvesting process is precisely organised. One variety after another is harvested as soon as it has reached its optimum ripeness. Rain interrupts the harvest, we don't like it so much at this time of year. What happens if we take a break? The apples don't take a break and continue to ripen. Up to a certain point, this can be an advantage. However, we prefer to decide for ourselves when the apples are ready to produce the perfect juice.

Frost & a wet spring

As apple growers, the weather is always an issue for us. The spring of 2024 still gave us a headache with a late frost. A frost like this can destroy many blossoms - and therefore potential apples. The harvest volume can then be jeopardised. But we were lucky and got off lightly. After that, spring delighted us - and our apples in particular: they like it cool and can cope well with a lot of rain. A perfect preparation for the hot summer. A hailstorm was too light to damage the leaves, the lungs of the tree. If the leaves are damaged, this also affects the fruit, which is crucial for the continuation of the vegetation.

Summer, sun, sunburn

Sunburn was also not a problem this summer. Our apples have less to contend with anyway, as they remain comparatively smaller and lighter due to our altitude. This means that the leaves can shade them even when they are fully ripe. Sunburn on apples is not just a cosmetic problem, it also damages the underlying flesh. The apples are then unusable according to our quality criteria.

Most exciting time

Harvest time is always exciting. Even now, the weather can still throw a spanner in the works and jeopardise the harvest plan. Hailstorms would be particularly bad now because ripe apples are softer and can be damaged more quickly. Let's knock on apple trees to make sure everything runs like clockwork. By mid to late November, when we celebrate the end of the harvest, all the varieties will be in the bottles and ready to enjoy.