Trellised trees
(Continued from Page Dl4)
liked it so well that he chose to
make fruit growing his career. “I
learned a lot by trial and error,” he
said, “but I have not regrets.”
Today, Rinker Orchards has an
annual production potential of
125,000 bushels of apples, a
majority of which are sold for
processing.
The orchard also has a pick
your-own marketing program.
“We move only a small percentage
of our apples through pick-your
own, but it’s a good public relations
tool,” Dudley said.
Many times the pick-your-own
customers leave Rinker Orchards
with more than just apples. “We
try to educate the people that it’s
taste and not eye apeal they should
be buying,” Dudley said. “I think
they’re starting to realize there’s
more to an apple than its looks.”
Apple varieties offered for
picking include Ida Red, Golden
Delicious, Grimes, Red Delicious
and Stayman. Other varieties
grown are York, Nittany, Rambos
and Greenings,
“People are often surprised at
the costs and time involved to
bring a block of trees into
production,” Dudley said. “The
first five years, we’re concerned
with raising trees, not apples.
Each tree has to develop a good
root system and a good top.”
To help with pruning, spraying
and cultivatiing around the trees,
Dudley has two full-time em
ployees. During the off-season
months from May through Sep
tember, he uses an innovative four
day work week. “I’ve found it
works well for us,” he explained.
“By working four 10-hour days
each week, the men can take
Friday off and enjoy a long
weekend.”
Dudley, who attends business
classes at Lord Fairfax Com
munity College, has also seen the
advantages of allowing his apple
pickers some free time. “I usually
hire about 40 pickers each season,”
he said. “We used to work seven
days a week, but near the middle of
the season you could see picking
averages dropping.”
Now the pickers work only five
days a week during the September-
November season.
In addition to apples, the Rmkers
raise about five acres of Damson
plums. “They used to be good
money-makers for iis, but our
market went bankrupt,” Dudley
said. “We haven’t been able to
crack another market, so a lot fall
on the ground now.”
The damson, a very tart plum, is
used mainly in making jams and
jellies. “They also make a decent
wine, but the wine market only
Unusual tn
buys about five of the 30 tons we
grow each year,” he said.
“Depending on the 1984 market, I
may push out the plums and plant
apple trees.”
A computer will no doubt have a
hand in that decision when the time
Used apple trees, left, have been successful at Pinker Orchards.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 14,19>4—P15
cranes. The Rinkers use their home
computer to keep detailed cost and
production records on the orchard.
“Mother still keeps a set of books
by hand,” Dudley laughed. “She
doesn’t trust electronics yet, but I
think I’m swaying her over. ’ ’