Raspberries

[Dunaruna]

[colour=blue]I am currently pruning 20 acres of raspberries, this gives me a bit of thinking time. I thought I would post this thread d .

The picking season starts in spring and goes until late autumn (fall). Different varieties fruit at different times. Raspberries can be grown from the artic to the equator. They are a cane plant. At the height of picking season. 10ft of canes can yield 4 or 5 hundred dollars worth of fruit per day.

At the moment, I am dealing with three varieties, 'Red', 'Dinkum' and 'Heritage'. I love heritage, they are deep red and have an extremely delicate texture that almost melt in your mouth, they also grow very large. When fruiting, I eat a couple of handfuls for breakfast most mornings.

Raspberries come in many varieties and colors, mainly white, black, purple, yellow and of course - red. A hybrid cross between raspberries and blackberries gives us loganberries, youngberries and boysenberries.

Raspberries have the highest antioxidant content of any fruit. They have zero fat and a low GL ratio making them great for diabetics.

They are full of all the good stuff such as dietary fibre, vitamin C/B2/B3, zinc, folate etc and including cancer inhibiting gremlins - anthocyanins, ellagic acid, isothiocyanates & quercitin. In some studies, processed raspberry powder (concentrate) was shown to reduce (and in some cases eliminate) tumors - many many studies are out there for the googling.

Now, isn't that more interesting than a locked thread.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Raspberries

Yes it is Dunaruna, and you're making my mouth water. Rasberries are my very favorite berry.d

 

[technostingray]

Re: Raspberries

[colour=blue]I am currently pruning 20 acres of raspberries, this gives me a bit of thinking time. I thought I would post this thread d ....

.

EDIT: YOU ARE APPARENTLY UNAWARE, TECHNO, THAT WHISPERS ARE VISIBLE TO MODS
[/whisper]
If you are pruining by hand you will have a lot more time to think. Is their a good market in Oz for Raspberries? What is the culrtural cost per acre. What are the varieties that you are "dealing" with? The money you mentioned is that to the farmer or retail price?

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Raspberries

[colour=blue]Yep, by hand. The canes have to be pruned about an inch BELOW ground, the 3 varieties I mentioned are all root crops. I am currently pruning 'reds', reds cycle their fruit every two years. I am removing last seasons canes (they will become canes for the 2007 season) and leaving the new growth, the new growth will then be bundled and tied to posts - next season fruit will come from these new canes. Heritage fruit annually, pruning involves removing ALL the canes, new canes will grow very quickly.

The market is massive, the farmer dictates price because there is always more demand than supply. About a third of the market is jam (you call it jelly?) which is basically over ripened and damaged fruit.

I have no idea as to the cultivate cost per acre - I'm only a lowly farmhand :'( . The prices I mentioned are retail.

After pruning has finished (in about 2 weeks), I gotta spread 25 tons of sheep sh#t over the crop - looking forward to that (not).

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Raspberries

[colour=blue]Well, to tell the truth, I pay zip :^

 

[technostingray]

Re: Raspberries

[colour=blue]Yep, by hand. ...

I have no idea as to the cultivate cost per acre - I'm only a lowly farmhand :'( . The prices I mentioned are retail.

.

Typical consumer, knows the price he pays but does not know the cost of production. The farmer controls the price? Sounds like the internet (phone company) in Estados Unidos. := := := :=

 

[technostingray]

Re: Raspberries

I hear you Aldo, but 20 acres of Raspberries may not be much on the total market but they are considerable if you have to eat them. I think maybe I scorched you a little with the consumer remark. Sorry. Margin is what all businessmen have to deal with and sometimes what looks good on paper turns out to be not so good. My family for the most part are grain farmers and a few years ago their was a big hullabaloo about the Gov't buying wheat from Austrailia for less than production cost in Estados Unidos.(Global Economy) Oranges, one of the market leaders in this county have a reputed cultural cost of $2,000 dollars an Acre, that is for table fruit. Packing costs would not be included for juice oranges. I was just making conversation and did not mean to ruffle you feathers.

 

[Ron G]

Re: Raspberries

If ya damage any you could send me somedthats alot of pruning i got 8 apple trees 2 pear trees and a crabaplle tree and i cant get around to them to prune.
This may be a stupid question but why sheep sh#t is that what ya'll have there or is it better for some reason?

 

[QC]

Re: Raspberries

Aldo,

Do you guys know Boysenberries down under? I always heard they were a cross between Black and Ras berries. This C & P make it sound iike they were "discovered" . . .

THE BOYSENBERRY

Another link in berry history was the discovery of the Boysenberry. In the late 1920's, George Darrow of the USDA began tracking down reports of a large, reddish-purple berry that had been grown by a man named Rudolf Boysen. He enlisted the help of Walter Knott, a Southern California farmer known as something of a berry expert. Knott hadn't heard of the new berry, but agreed to help Darrow in his search.

The pair soon learned that Rudolf Boysen had abandoned his growing experiments several years earlier and sold his farm. Undaunted by this news, Darrow and Knott headed out to Boysen's old farm, where they found several frail vines surviving in a field choked with weeds. They transplanted the vines to Knott's farm where he nurtured them back to fruit-bearing health. Walter Knott's began selling the berries at his farm stand in 1935 and soon noticed that people kept returning to buy the large tasty berries. When asked what they were called, Knott said, "Boysenberries." As their popularity grew, Mrs. Knott began making preserves which ultimately made Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California world famous.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Raspberries

Thanks Aldo.
Watch Peter on ABC Gardening Australia and a couple of weeks back he went to a berry cane farm and covered the cycle. Very interesting.
Our area (Caboolture) is a big strawberry producer, but not cane.
Personally I would like a variety of canes for my personal use, but I can't find a local who has root stock.

Pruning.....do you have the power assisted hand pruners or just the manual Felcos. From my Rose growing days, pruning is hard work, but the time you get by yourself is brilliant.
Cheers
Phillip

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Raspberries

[colour=blue]Ray, my comment was tongue in cheek, relax my friend 8).

Kevin, although there is no hard evidence (that I can find), it is generally accepted that Boysen crossed blackberries with a variety of european raspberries - I suppose that DNA testing has been done, dunno. Yes, we have boysenberries.

Phil, I'm using a pair of long handle manual pruning shears. It's quite delicate work, any damage to the root stock will stop next years growth. At the moment I am able to prune about 250 metres a day. I do this for work (money!) but in my backyard I have 2 apple trees, 3 olives, 1 mandarin and a blood plum - I prune those for FUN. There is satisfaction in seeing the results of pruning, lots and lots of fruit!!

Ron, it is dried and powderised, no smell and easy to distribute - and cheap (about $800 per ton). I'm no expert on sheep sh#t, but I believe that the nutrients release slowly, unlike chicken sh#t. (It just occurred to me, how many chickens would it take to produce 25 tons?).

 

[technostingray]

Re: Raspberries

[colour=blue]Well, to tell the truth, I pay zip :^

I am totally relaxed. You did mention that you knew the retail value so I thought it a fair question and statement. You may not even eat any and that would be the same cost to anyone who didn't buy any. Do you know what the difference between Tax avoidance and Tax evasion is?

 

[technostingray]

Re: Raspberries

[colour=blue]. (It just occurred to me, how many chickens would it take to produce 25 tons?).

Not as many as you might think. 8)8)8)8)

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Raspberries

[colour=blue]Speaking of evasion, bus loads of pickers arrive in the height of picking season, most of whom are illegals. It's interesting to watch them, they have a system for evading immigration officials - running! Seriously, I've seen them surveying the surrounding countryside looking for the best escape routes.

Last season, I caught one of them hiding a few kilos of raspberries in the engine bay of the bus - in the airfilter housing - doh!

 

[QC]

Re: Raspberries

Wow, I had no idea that Australia had that type of illegal immigrant issue. Sounds like California. How do they get in? Boats? Fly in and just simply don't go home?

Edit: Sorry for going off topic, but as a topic evolves it's OK to divert a little, no? And for the record, it's Aldo's fault . . . :devil:

 

[JB]

Re: Raspberries

Raspberies. YUM.

Today I tried a new-to-me ice cream. Godivas Chocolate Raspberry Truffle. YEEEEE HAW!! That is some gooooood ice cream.

 

[technostingray]

Re: Raspberries

[colour=blue]Speaking of evasion, bus loads of pickers arrive in the height of picking season, most of whom are illegals. It's interesting to watch them, they have a system for evading immigration officials - running! Seriously, I've seen them surveying the surrounding countryside looking for the best escape routes.
[whisper uid=22380]

Enter private whisper hereI may be mistaken but isn't there an ocean all around Austrailia?
Incidently you have successfull avoided my question and given your self a good clue to the answer. If illegals a caught on the job does the employer bear any responsiblity? Do you happen to know what the piece rate is that is paid the pickers? Does the harvest rely on the illegals or just cut the pie a little thinner? Do you know anything about work visas?

[/whisper]
Interesting. Where do they come from?
]

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Raspberries

[colour=blue]First and foremost, I am an aussie (legal) and don't mind doing this type of work including picking, in fact I enjoy it. But the pay is carp so generally speaking, most aussies won't do it (sound familiar?). For me, money isn't the driving force, the lifestyle is far more important.

For raspberries, the pay rate is $1 per punnet (4" x 4"), undamaged. Walnuts, $1 per kilo. Blueberries $1 per punnet (7" x 4").

My father is the fastest (legal) picker I know, he can make up to $500 a day (10 hour day). That is pedal to the metal, 10 minute lunch - and he is 75 y/o! The best I can do is about $200. There is a husband/wife team of vietnamese that make $1200 per day regularly, for them it must be a fortune and worth the risk.

Enter the Asians from third world poverty and dicatatorships, they will do anything to feed their families.

They come in on boats as refugees, most are caught, some not. Some get refugee status and are allowed to stay but not work (like that makes any sense!). Some travel on holiday visa and just 'disappear' into the landscape. Most are good people who just want to work hard and raise families in great land downunder, some are scum sucking pigs who bring all their violent gang warfare with them (sound familiar?). At present, we are accepting middle east refugees and immigrants - watch this space............

If the farmer is caught, the manure would hit the fan. My understanding of this is that the immigration officials KNOW that the seasonal picking industry would collapse if the illegals are deported and fruit prices would skyrocket. Most often, they look the other way - but not always.............

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Raspberries

[colour=blue]

Edit: Sorry for going off topic, but as a topic evolves it's OK to divert a little, no? And for the record, it's Aldo's fault . . . :devil:

LOLd

It's my thread, I'll divert it anywhere I please :}

 

[JRJ]

Re: Raspberries

You have probably heard that in the USA, people are paid to not produce various crops, but complain about the government and the prices of labor etc. They complain about illegals and welfare's on the government dole, but don't see themselves.
Congratulations on doing an honest, hard days work.