It is a family affair for the Barton's when the time comes to pick and pack the cherries on Groveland, Wagga Wagga.
Three generations of the Barton family pitched in to ensure customers were getting the very best quality of the various cherry varieties grown.
The boutique cherry orchard on the Oura Road has a high reputation for the sweetness of their freshly picked fruit which is sold direct to an admiring public.
The Barton's have been at Groveland for the past four years and are enjoying their best season.
It was fortunate for Mark and Kristy Barton, proprietors of the orchard the yield at seven tonnes from the two hectare orchard is greater than last year.
"Last year we were way down because of the drought but this year our volume is the best we have ever seen," Mr Barton said.
"And it is just as well as we are continuing to see increasing demand for our cherries."
Mr Barton said a point of difference for their orchard is the small size, along with 14 varieties which mature at different times and thus giving an extended an extended period of sales.
"We do it different because although our varieties are not big producers their production is spread over a longer period," he said.
"We can afford to let our cherries reach their peak ripeness before picking which means our customers are assured of a very tasty product."
Mr Barton said friends and neighbours were on hand to help with the picking along with a student from University of New England so they don't have a labour issue.
"Because of our small size we don't have the pressure to pick all of the cherries at once," he said.
But leading up to Christmas, picking was was entering a sensitive stage as the later varieties needed to be harvested before predicted rain could affect the yield.
"We have been lucky with the weather but we have been very busy picking the extra yield," Mr Barton said.
"There has been a little bit of weather damage because cherries are susceptible to splitting after rain."
Otherwise he has introduced Boron to help protect the sensitive skin on the fruit which is applied through fertigation.
"We have invested a lot if fertilizer and fertigation with the prospect of higher yields," he said.
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