APPLES are weathering the hot and dry summer, according to a local grower, who said demand for fresh apple juice was also outstripping supply.
While cider apples are smaller due to the drought, dessert apples, which are grown to eat and press for juice, are coping well so far.
Hans van Oordt, who owns Jersey Apple Press in St John, said: ‘We’re not worried by the weather at the moment. So far the hot weather won’t have affected our early crop, because we pick by hand and take off the excess apples in June to allow the rest to grow bigger in time for the first harvest next week.’
Speaking before yesterday’s showers, he added: ‘But we do need some rain next month or our mid-season crop will produce smaller apples than usual.’
Mr van Oordt grows over 35 varieties of apples and takes pride in planting those that originated in Jersey. He has over 600 apple trees in his own orchard and he plants, maintains and harvests apple trees in another five orchards in the Island.
He said the business’s only problem at the moment was trying to expand the capacity of their cottage industry, which he described as ‘a labour of love’.
‘We’re always trying to find more landowners who might be willing to allow us to plant, maintain and harvest apple trees on their land,’ he said.
‘We can make the land more beautiful and productive for them. They can still wander through the orchards and enjoy them but we will look after them.’
Jersey Apple Press has been open for over ten years growing, picking and pressing by hand to produce apple juice for consumption in the Island mainly through farm and coffee shops.
Some apples will be harvested a little earlier than usual next week due to the hot weather and as the season progresses the flavour of the apples becomes sweeter.
He added: ‘I design gardens for a living and so planting more orchards to keep Jersey apple varieties alive has become my passion.’
La Mare Wine Estate recently said it was hoping to bottle its best ever vintage thanks to the exceptional weather, with conditions this year more like those experienced in vineyards in France. However, managing director Tim Crowley said they were also growing more apples than grapes, and were not benefitting from the dry conditions.
‘The crop will be fine. It will have a more intense flavour than usual because the apples will be smaller and won’t swell as much as usual,’ he explained.
