Spring is such a lovely time on the farm. The fruit trees are in blossom, the fruit is beginning to set, and we’re already looking forward to what we’ll be picking, eating and freeze drying later in the season.
Unfortunately, we’re not the only ones keeping an eye on the orchard!
As the new growth and young fruit appear, protecting the crop becomes another job on our spring to-do list. Possums and rats can damage fruit and trees, and we’re also tackling other pests around the farm, including stoats and weasels. Those two are predators rather than fruit raiders, but they’re part of the wider pest-control picture.
Then there are the birds. We love having birds around, but we do wish they had slightly better table manners!
The figs are a perfect example. Rather than finishing one fruit, they’ll take a bite and move on to the next. Before long, several figs are damaged instead of just one, leaving less good fruit for harvesting, eating or freeze drying. They also peck at tender buds and developing fruit, so some of the potential harvest is lost before it has much chance to grow.
Today we started putting out traps as part of our seasonal pest-control work. It’s one of those behind-the-scenes farm jobs that isn’t particularly glamorous, but matters when you’ve put so much care into growing a crop.
There’s plenty still to do, and we’ll be keeping an eye on how things go over the coming weeks. Here’s hoping our efforts make a real difference and give the young fruit a chance to develop.
With a bit of luck, this season’s blossoms will turn into a lovely harvest, with plenty to enjoy fresh and plenty of good fruit for the freeze dryer too!