shields orchard a hawkesbury harvest success story by jonathan shields
TRANSCRIPT
An Introduction…
• Shields Orchard is a family owned orchard established in 1955!
• Run by Bill and Julie Shields!• Located at Bilpin, in the
picturesque Blue Mountains!• Predominately produces
apples and some peaches and other stonefruit !
An Introduction…
• Declining terms of trade have driven change in marketing and production over the past 1o years!
• Conventional markets have been abandoned in favour of direct selling and “Pick-your-own”!
• This has been aided by close proximity to Sydney and people’s growing interest in where their food comes from!
Goals & Beliefs
• Remain economically sustainable!• Increase productivity & efficiency!• Maintain & improve the natural resource
base!• Provide fresh, quality produce on
Sydney’s doorstep!• Educate consumers about where their
food comes from!
Achieved through…
• Innovation and a positive attitude towards change!
• Applied science & technology!• Better marketing!• Creating a ‘brand’!• Hard work!
Photo: Mary Canning
A year on the orchard…
• While the fruit season only last for a few months there is always something going on in the orchard!
• The diversity of varieties means the orchard produces fresh fruit from January to May!
• Winter and Spring provide time for a host of activities while no fruit is being produced!
Winter & Spring
• Grafting new trees!• Planting!• Pruning!• Thinning!• Soil nutrient management!• Crop protection!
Graft join between root stock and variety wood (scion) of a young apple tree in a nursery bed
Apple blossom in Spring
Summer & Autumn
• Harvest & Marketing!– Peaches – January – February !– Apples – February - May!
• Crop protection!
Photo: Mary Canning
Photo: Mary Canning
Photo: Mary Canning
Risks
• Climate!– Hail!– Rain!– Drought!
• Pests & Disease!– Apple scab!– Codling Moth!– Fruit Fly!– Fire Blight!!
! !...just to name a few!
• Effectively managing risk is just another challenge in farming!
• Climatic risk is very difficult to control however the climate in Bilpin is generally reliable and safe !
• Pests & diseases are controlled using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to reduce dependency on a single means of control (eg. chemicals) !
Fruit Varieties & Root Stocks
• Varieties that are popular with the consumer!
• Productive, resistant to pests & disease and suited to climate!
• Dwarfing rootstocks!– Easier management!– Higher productivity!– Greater resource use towards fruit production by the
tree!
Trellis System
• Support dwarf stock under high fruit yields!• Improve light exposure!
• Canopy management for better!– Pruning!– Pest & disease management!– Harvesting!
250 trees/ha Old plantings, large free-standing trees
1,500 trees/ha New Plantings on trellises
Soil/Nutrient Management
• Key to productivity and producing quality fruit!
• Maintain optimum soil pH through lime application!– Key to making all nutrients available to plants!
• Maintain ground cover to prevent erosion and build organic matter!– Increases soil’s ability to hold nutrients and availability
to plants!
Irrigation
• Drip irrigation system!– Supplies water to root zone!– Reduces evaporation!
• Satelite remote sensing!– CSIRO initiative!– Provides information for crop water requirements and
scheduling!– Enhances efficiency & productivity!
Drip irrigation suspended from trellis wire
Large dam provides irrigation water for the whole orchard
Diversification • Increases customer base and interest and helps
manage risk.!• 10 apple varieties including:!
– Royal Gala!– Pink Lady!– Delicious!– Granny Smith!– Jonathan!
• Potatoes!– Grown for the last 3 years!– High value “gourmet” varieties!
Potato crop in early summer
Pick-Your-Own
• P-Y-O has grown dramatically in recent years !
• People often enjoy the experience of picking their own fruit as much as the fruit it self!
• Parents often comment that it’s a great way to show there children where their food really comes from!– Not the supermarket!!
Photo: Mary Canning
Marketing
• Low returns per/kg and high transport and packaging costs have made wholesale markets and supermarkets unattractive!
• A focus on high quality fruit and good value has built a strong customer base and this continues to increase year by year!
Marketing
• This means:!– Better quality fruit for the consumer!– Lower prices than the supermarkets!– Higher returns for the farmer!
• People travel for hours for fruit from Shields Orchard!
Hawkesbury Harvest
• Hawkesbury Harvest is a grower organisation which aims to promote agriculture and fresh, quality food in the Sydney Basin!
• Bill is the current chairman of Harvest and is passionate about seeing agriculture remain an important part of Sydney’s landscape !
• He is also interested in bridging the divide between farmers and consumers through better education !
Photo: Mary Canning
A final word…
• The Shields Orchard ‘brand’ has a strong reputation and is continuing to grow!
• Producing and selling quality fruit requires a great deal of technical know-how, innovation and business sense!
• Bill is passionate about what he does and has no plans of giving it away any time soon!
More Information Shields Orchard • www.shieldsorchard.com • www.dairyyouthaustralia.com.au/images/AppleADay_CaseStudy.pdf • www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/harvest-boon/
2010/02/08/1265477561433.html
Hawkesbury Harvest • www.hawkesburyharvest.com.au
GOLD SILVERPLATINUM
BRONZE
WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SPONSORS OF THE 2010 CREAM OF THE CROP COMPETITION