Comparing Orchard Designs
for Mechanical Harvest
Carol Miles, Holly Tennant, Travis Alexander
and Suzette Galinato
Department of Horticulture and School of Economic Sciences
Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center
Orchard Establishment Costs
 Cider Apple Enterprise Budgets for Washington
Costs based on growers’ experiences
o Cost Estimation of Establishing a Cider Apple Orchard in
Western Washington (FS141E)
o Cost Estimation of Establishing a Cider Apple Orchard in
Central Washington (TB35E)
www.cider.wsu.edu
- Cider Information
Establishing a Cider Orchard
 Tree size and training system
 Number of trees per acre
 Yield per acre
 Time to first harvest
 Labor
M106
G935
Cider Orchards in Virginia
Cider Orchards in Washington
Craig Campbell, Tieton Cider Works
Cider Orchards in Washington
Tieton Cider Works
Mechanical Harvest
 Many cider apple cultivars
are small-fruited, taking up
to 4 times longer to hand
pick than large fruit.
 Hand harvest accounts for
38-46% of total annual
variable orchard costs.
 Mechanized shake-andsweep harvest of cider
apples is common in Europe.
 Shake-and-sweep harvest
may not be suitable for
modern trellised cider apple
orchards.
Costs and Considerations for
Establishing a Cider Apple Orchard for
Mechanical Harvest
Holly Tennant, WSU MSAG Candidate
Compare:
1) Shake-and-sweep European system
2) Shake-and-catch over-the-row U.S. system
What would the ideal orchard look like for each harvest method?
Shake-and-Sweep Harvesters
Tuthill Temperley, UK
Neil McDonald, UK
Weston & Sons Cider, UK
Somerset Fruit Machines/SFM Technology, UK
Shake-and-Sweep Harvesters
Pattenden Machinary, UK
Cable tree shaker, AMB Rousset
Shake-and-Sweep Orchard
• Tree spacing: 7 ft in-row, 16 ft center-to-center
• Root stock: Semi-Dwarf - MM.106 (or similar)
• Commercial life of planting: 25 years
• Tree density: 389 trees per acre
• Training system: Free standing
• Time to full harvest: 5 years
Shake-and-Sweep Orchard
Year 1
Land (with irrigation)
Cost Per
Acre
$ 14,487
Cost for
Block
Notes
$ 144,356 includes soil preparation
Trees
$
$
66,519
7,391
389 trees (≥5/8 in., $18 /
tree, $1 / tree for planting
Supplies and maint.
$
3,834
$
posts, fertilizer, pesticides,
34,507 pruning, irrigation, equip. &
maint., etc.
Taxes etc.
$
502
$
4,517 taxes, insurance, overhead
Total block size is 10 A, but only 9 A are in orchards (head lands, roads, buildings)
Shake-and-Sweep Orchard
• Cost per acre year 1: $26,214 (incl. land cost)
$11,727 (w/out land cost)
• Cost per acre per year maintenance: $2,849
• Production level (full): 57,183 lb/A (147 lb/tree)*
• Notes: Trees 15 ft tall
* Based on cider apple yield at WSU Mount Vernon NWREC: 3 var., 4 yr, 15 ft. trees
Shake-and-Sweep Harvester
• Pattenden Grouse self propelled cider apple
harvester is one of several types used in Europe
• Purchase price (new): Harvester $46,000
Cable tree shaker $2,500
• Shipping/import costs approx. $4000
• Shakes 20 trees per hour
Picks 70,000 lb per day
Sources: Dan Lawrence Dec. 2016, Len Mathieson Jan. 2016, and
Neil McDonald 2015
Shake-and-Catch Harvester
Over-the-row tree harvester
Oxbo Harvester - olives
Shake-and-Catch Harvester
Littau Harvester - cherries
Shake-and-Catch Harvester
Shake-and-Catch Orchard
•
•
•
•
•
•
Training system: Central leader
Tree spacing: 3 ft in-row, 15 ft center-to-center
Root stock: Dwarf - M9 series
Commercial life of planting: 25 years
Tree density: 968 trees per acre
Time to full harvest: 5 years
Shake-and-Catch Orchard
Cost
Cost for
Year 1
Per Acre
Block
Notes
Land (with irrigation) $ 14,487 $ 144,356 includes soil preparation
968 trees (≥5/8 in., $13 /
tree, $1/tree for planting
Trees
$ 13,552
$ 121,968
Trellis system
$ 2,342
$ 21,075 includes installation labor
Supplies and maint.
$ 3,802
$ 34,217
Taxes etc.
$
$
502
fertilizer, pesticides, pruning,
irrigation, equip. & maint., etc.
4,517 taxes, insurance, overhead
Total block size is 10 A, but only 9 A are in orchards (head lands, roads, buildings)
Shake-and-Catch Orchard
• Cost per acre year 1: $34,685 (incl. land cost)
$20,198 (w/out land cost)
• Cost per acre per year maintenance: $4,957
• Production level (full): 66,792 lb/A (69 lb/tree)*
• Notes: Trees 10-12 ft tall for harvester
Mechanical pruning also suitable
* Based on cider apple yield at WSU Mount Vernon NWREC: 6 var., 4 yr, 10 ft. trees
Shake-and-Catch Harvester
Littau Harvester
Shake-and-Catch Harvester
• Custom built for tart cherry harvest in central WA
• Recently test harvested olives in CA
• Purchase price: $350,000 new ; $5,000 ann. maint.
• Lease cost: $70,000per year
• Harvester picking drive speed: 1 mi/hr, 1.8 A/hr
• In cherry: Picks 1 bin every 10-12 min
Picks one tree every 14 sec
Uses one less person than trunk shaking machine
Source: Littau Harvester Nov. 2016
Mechanical Harvest at WSU NWREC
Proof of Concept
Littau OR0012
Small fruit harvester
Fruit Harvest
Conveyance of fruit
Collection of fruit
Mechanical Harvest
Before
After
Tree Damage Due to Harvest
Mean of 4 years: 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015
Harvest Method
Hand
Range
Machine
Range
z
No. Spurs
No. Limbs
Damagedz
3.0
0.2-6.1
8.2
1.3-14.7
Damagedy
0.3
0.1-0.6
0.9
0.4-2.3
Differences were significant in 2014 and 2015
y Differences were significant in 2015
Fruit Damage Due to Harvest
Year
2011
2012
2014
2015
No. Bruised Fruit
Hand
Machine
100
100
19
72
100
100
98
96
No. Cut Fruit
Hand
Machine
0
0
1
0
11
8
26
48
Harvest Fruit Weight (lb/A)
Fruit Weight (lb/A)
Harvest
Post Harvest Clean
Hand Machine Tree + Ground Machine
2011 8,987
6,138
1,853
2012 5,183
3,588
700
2014 12,482
6,648
2,751
3,462
2015 11,000
7,298
1,338
1,751
% of Hand Hrv
63%
18%
28%
Total Harvest
Hand Machine
8,987
7,991
5,183
4,288
12,482
12,861
11,000
10,387
94%
Storage Fruit Loss
Fruit Stored Under Barn Conditions (49-68 oF; 9-20 oC)
Fruit Weight (lb/A)
At Harvest
Hand
Machine
2014 12,482
12,861
2015 11,000
10,387
Avg. loss (%)x
Est. loss (lb/A)y
z
y
% Rotted Fruitz
2 Weeks
4 Weeks
Hand Machine Hand Machine
0.0
23.0
0.0
46.8
1.5
21.5
4.3
34.5
1
22
2
41
117
2,557
235
4,766
Per 100 random fruit sample per plot
Avg loss (%) per 100 fruit sample per plot
x
Calculated based on avg % loss and avg fruit weight per plot
Milling and Pressing
 Before grinding, wash fruit and remove rot
 Apple shredder to mill fruit (Zambelli Enotech MuliMax 60 )
 Bladder press to extract juice (40-L Enotechnica Pillan)
Juice Analysis: oBrix and pH
 oBrix – place 2-3 drops juice sample onto refractometer
 pH – measure 100 ml juice sample with digital pH meter
Digital
refractometer
Digital
pH meter
% Tannins and Malic Acid (g/L)
Titrations using standard procedures:
• WSU on-line training video: How to Test Tannin Levels in Apple
Juice Using Lowenthal Permanganate Titration
Lowenthal titration
method
Juice Analysis 2011 & 2012
Fruit cold-stored at 34 0F (1 oC)
Year
2011
Time of analysis
At harvest
3 weeks
P -value Storage time
Harvest method
2012
At harvest
2 weeks
4 weeks
P -value Storage time
Harvest method
z
SSC
(%)
10.86
12.05
0.0002
0.0004
15.41 a
13.15 c
14.73 b
0.0006
0.96
SG
z
(ratio)
1.04
1.05
0.0001
0.0003
1.07 a
1.05 c
1.06 b
<0.0001
0.91
pH
3.82
3.81
0.63
0.6
3.85
3.9
3.79
0.08
0.51
TA
(g.L-1 )y
2.21
2.32
0.18
0.14
4.55
3.76
4.23
0.06
0.61
Tannin
(%)
0.14
0.18
0.1
0.32
0.22
0.23
0.26
0.45
0.12
Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of the juice to the density of pure water
y 1 g.L-1 = 1000 ppm
Juice Analysis 2014 & 2015
Fruit stored at 58 0F (14 oC)x
SSC
(%)
14.13
14.96
14.71
0.14
0.96
13.31 b
15.06 a
14.93 a
0.0002
0.36
SG
TA
Tannin
(%)
0.12 b
0.14 a
0.12 b
0.03
0.40
0.16 b
0.19 a
0.19 a
0.03
0.10
pH
y
. -1 z
Time of analysis
(ratio)
(g L )
At harvest
1.06
4.04 b
2.98 a
2 weeks
1.063
4.10 a
2.83 b
4 weeks
1.06
4.12 a
2.56 b
P- value Storage time
0.27
0.01
0.03
Harvest method
0.79
0.06
0.40
2015
At harvest
1.056 b
3.96
3.11
2 weeks
1.062 a
3.95
3.26
4 weeks
1.062 a
3.97
3.06
P- value Storage time
0.001
0.41
0.47
Harvest method
0.20
0.09
0.23
x 49-68 oF (9-20 oC)
y Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of the juice to the density of pure water
z 1 g.L-1 = 1000 ppm
Year
2014
Juice Analysis
 No effect on juice
characteristics due to
hand v mechanical
harvest
 Future research:
• Sensory analysis
• Off-flavors
Travis Alexander, PhD student
Selecting a Cider Variety
Cider apples classified into 4 categories according to
acid and tannin content (Long Ashton Research Station,
Bristol, England; Barker, 1903)
Type
Tannin (%)
Acid (%)
Sharp
< 0.2
Low tannin
> 0.45
High acid
Sweet
< 0.2
Low tannin
< 0.45
Low acid
Bittersharp
> 0.2
High tannin
> 0.45
High acid
Bittersweet
> 0.2
High tannin
< 0.45
Low acid
Most Common Cider Apples1
Sharp
Sweet2
Bittersharp
Bittersweet
Breakwell Sdlg.
Harrison
Redstreak, Hereford
Tom Putt
Smith’s Cider
Bramley’s Sdlg.
Golden Russet
Gravenstein
Jonagold
Peau de Vache
Pomme Gris
LeBret (Sweet Alford)
Sweet Coppin
Taylor’s
Ashmead’s Kernel
Gala
Fuji
Roxbury Russet
Cap of Liberty
Domaines
Foxwhelp
Hewes VA Crab
Kingston Black
Porter’s Perfection
Wickson Crab
Dolgo Crab
Hagloe Crab
Brown Snout
Chisel Jersey
Dabinett
Frequin Rouge
Harry Masters’ J.
Michelin
Nehou
Yarlington Mill
Brown Snout
1From
2The
Dabinett
Kingston Black
Yarlington Mill
survey reported in Fact Sheet “CIDER Report 202: Commonly Grown Cider Apple Cultivars in the U.S. (2015)”
survey did not include any sweet cider varieties; sweet apples used were mainly culls of dessert varieties.
Cider Juice Analysis
Summary of juice analysis for cider apple varieties grown at WSU Mount
Vernon NWREC from 2003-2015 (data not collected in 2007).
Tannin %
Malic Acid g/l
oBrix
pH
Yrs
Cultivar
Eval.
Mean
SD
Mean
SD
Mean
SD
Mean
SD
Amere de Berthcourt
3
0.48
0.20
1.90
0.53
12.9
1.55
4.31
0.14
Breakwell Seedling
5
0.27
0.22
7.82
3.27
10.9
0.97
3.23
0.13
Brown Snout
7
0.19
0.06
3.37
0.84
13.5
1.77
3.87
0.16
Dabinett
8
0.29
0.18
2.55
1.30
14.0
1.18
4.37
0.25
Golden Russet
5
0.13
0.05
6.64
0.91
16.9
1.33
3.67
0.25
Harrison
3
0.16
0.03
7.77
2.58
15.8
0.21
3.37
0.39
Kermerrien
6
0.37
0.09
2.44
0.21
13.2
1.22
3.76
0.25
Kingston Black
7
0.17
0.11
6.45
1.04
13.4
1.39
3.45
0.19
Medaille D’Or
4
1.05
0.49
3.43
0.48
15.8
1.73
4.19
0.18
www.cider.wsu.edu
Sources of Cider Apple Trees
 Plan ahead! 1-2 years for nursery to make
cider trees
 Nurseries listing cider apple varieties
– see our website
 Video on apple chip bud grafting
– see our website
www.cider.wsu.edu
Rootstock Factors to Consider
 Size of mature trees
 Precocity - how long till
first fruiting
 Will trellis be needed, and
what is the cost?
 Suitability to soil
conditions
 Disease susceptibility - can
be very important in fire
blight prone areas
Rootstock Effects
‘Yarlington Mill’ on M106 (left) and M9 (right)
Rootstock Choices
Source: Dr. Terence Robinson, Cornell University
Variety Growth Habit and Characteristics
Tree growth habit and tree characteristics of cider apple varieties observed at
WSU Mount Vernon NWREC, 2002-2015.
Cultivar
Bearing
Habit
Amere de Berthcourt Semi Spur
Blind
Grower
Prod.
Full Bloom Date4
Comments
wood1
Growth Habit
Friendly2
Alternate
Bearing
1.5
Spreading
Y
Semi
2.45
9-May
3
American Forestier
Semi Spur
1
Semi Spreading
Y
Y
2.75
23-May
Blanc Mollet
Semi Spur
1.5
Semi Upright
Y
Y
2.88
18-May
Bouteville
Standard
1.5
Semi Spreading
Semi
Semi
3.5
12-May
Bramley’s Seedling
Standard
2.5
Spreading
Y
Semi
2.58
9-May
Breakwell Seedling
Semi Spur
1
Spreading
Y
Semi
3.2
23-May
Brown’s Apple
Semi Spur
2
Semi Spreading
Y
Y
2.63
13-May
Brown Snout
Spur
1
Semi Spreading
Y
Semi
4
Brown Thorn
Standard
2
Semi Spreading
Semi
Y
2.38
25-May
Bulmer’s Norman
Semi Spur
1
Spreading
Y
Semi
2.58
10-May
Campfield
Semi Spur
2
Upright
Semi
Semi
1.78
9-May
Spur
1
Semi Upright
Y
Y
3.08
9-May
Cap of Liberty
www.cider.wsu.edu
23-May
Small fruited
Bearing Habit
 Spur: many fruit spurs closely
spaced on all branches (2 year
and older wood).
 Semi Spur: fruit spurs on all
branches but more widely
spaced than Spur type.
Photo: Apple and Pear Australia, Ltd.
 Standard: fruit spurs on most
older branches.
 Tip bearing: fruit in single
clusters on branch ends; may
have areas of blind wood.
Photo: Royal Horticultural Society
Bearing Habit
 Spur: many fruit spurs closely
spaced on all branches (2 year
and older wood).
 Semi Spur: fruit spurs on all
branches but more widely
spaced than Spur type.
 Standard: fruit spurs on most
older branches.
 Tip bearing: fruit in single
clusters on branch ends; may
have areas of blind wood.
Blind Wood
 “Blind wood” refers to areas of a
tree where fruit spurs have not
developed.
 Rating scale1:
1 = none to few areas (< 4 in.)
2 = few bare areas (4-6 in. without
bud/spur)
3 = several bare areas (4-6 in.
without bud/spur)
4 = several bare areas (< 12 in.,
most 8 -12 in.)
5 = several areas on numerous
branches with 12 in. or more
without bud/spur
1Hard
Cider Production, PNW 621, Moulton et al, 2010
Grower Friendly
 Grower friendly1 trees are
productive.
 Trees don’t require extensive
canopy management (labor).
 Most spur and spindle types
are grower friendly; they have
stiffer wood and support a
large crop load.
 Tip bearing trees need special
pruning to avoid developing
areas of blind wood.
1Hard
2010
Cider Production, PNW 621, Moulton et al,
Freestanding trees that are grower
friendly produce about 70% of their fruit
on the first level scaffold.
Alternate Bearing

Annual Bearing trees produce a good crop every year, with some annual
variation.

Strongly Alternate Bearing trees produce a good crop in alternate years,
and little or no fruit in the off years.

Semi-Alternate Bearing trees have some fruit even in low years.
Cultivar
2011
2012
2013
2014
Mean
Bearing
Habit
Tom Putt
4.4
4.2
4.5
4.2
4.33
Annual
(High Prod.)
Granniwinkle
2.8
3.3
2.8
3.5
3.10
Annual
(Mod. Prod.)
Brown’s Apple
5.0
0.5
4.0
1.0
2.63
Strongly
Alternate
Bulmer’s
Norman
2.5
3.0
1.8
3.0
2.58
Semi Alternate
Fruit Yield Productivity
 Productivity ratings1 taken in August – September
(immediately pre-harvest)
 Rating scale:
0 = no fruit at all
1 = very few fruit, samples only
2 = low production, unacceptable commercial
3 = acceptable production, may be uneven (clusters
of fruit vs. sparse areas)
4 = moderate production, most areas of tree
bearing fruit
5 = high production, all areas of tree bearing fruit
1Hard
Cider Production, PNW 621, Moulton et al, 2010
Orchard Establishment Costs
 Cider Apple Enterprise Budgets for Washington
Costs based on growers’ experiences
o Cost Estimation of Establishing a Cider Apple Orchard in
Western Washington (FS141E)
o Cost Estimation of Establishing a Cider Apple Orchard in
Central Washington (TB35E)
www.cider.wsu.edu
- Cider Information
Cost of Fruit Juice
 Cost of specialty/heirloom apple juice:
$5.07-7.00 per gal. ( ̴ $0.41–0.56/lb*)
 Cost of dessert apple juice:
$1.48-2.65 per gal. ( ̴ $0.008–0.21/lb*)
* 12.5 lb fruit per gal.
Source: State of NW Cider Industry 2016 Report
Yarlington Mill
Brown Snout
Dabinett
Kingston Black
New Cider Research Orchard WSU NWREC
2014-16: 65 varieties planted in 2 replicate blocks
• Rootstock: Geneva 935
• Spacing: 6 ft x 12 ft
April 2016
• Post height: 10 ft.
• Tall spindle/fruiting wall
Mechanical Pruning
Hedging
LaGasse Works
Fruiting Wall System
Photo: GoodFruit Grower
Jon Clements, Univ. Massachusetts
Shake-and-Catch Harvester
Cider Apple Harvest
Cider apples mechanically harvested at WSU NWREC
Research Cider Orchards at WSU
1979 6 cider apple varieties first planted at
WSU Mount Vernon NWREC
1983 to 1994 20 varieties added,
observations made on productivity,
growth habit, and disease susceptibility
1994 Cider apple trial orchard established
with over 70 different varieties
2002 to current Varieties evaluated for
juice characteristics
2014-16 Planted 65 varieties in a replicated
research orchard
April 2014
WSU Cider Projects
 Evaluation of cider apple juice (2002-current)
 Make and evaluate single-varietal ciders (4-5 each year)
 Compare juice quality of 4 varieties grown at 4 WA locations
 Measure costs of cider apple orchard establishment
 Evaluate mechanical harvest using over-the-row harvester
 Develop planting guidelines for orchard mechanization
 Develop management strategies for apple anthracnose canker
 Provide cider production education in cooperation with CINA
 On-line training videos – grafting, tannin testing
www.cider.wsu.edu
Extension Publications
Hard Cider Production and Orchard Management in the Pacific
Northwest (PNW 621)
2015 Cost Estimation of Establishing a Cider Apple Orchard in
Central Washington (TB35E)
2013 Cost Estimation of Establishing a Cider Apple Orchard in
Western Washington (FS141E)
Feasibility of Different Harvest Methods for
Cider Apples: Case Study for Western
Washington (TB32)
Commonly Grown Cider Apple Cultivars in
the U.S. (Peck et al.)
www.cider.wsu.edu
Research Support
Collaborators:
• Suzette Galinato - WSU School of Economic Sciences
• David Bauermeister - Director NW Ag. Bus. Center
Funders:
Washington State Dept. of Agriculture
WSU ARC Emerging Research Issues
Northwest Agriculture Business Center
Northwest Cider Association
Northwest Agricultural Research Foundation
www.cider.wsu.edu