Apples, pears and quinces: Help with the harvest in Zetelvitz now!

Apples, pears and quinces: Help with the harvest in Zetelvitz now!

In picturesque Klein Zetelvitz, where the trees are fully covered, the harvest fields are ready for the apple harvest. Jürgen Thietke, a passionate pomologist and variety preserver, is the man of the house. On his family orchard, which proudly supports around 300 trees with apples, pears and quinces, he is calling on the community to help. “We can’t manage the harvest alone,” explains Thietke, while the ripe fruits shine over the branches in the October sun. If you feel like it, you can pick the untreated fruits yourself or pick up crates of fruit that have already been harvested. Last week a family from Demmin even picked up a large box of the delicious Altländer pancakes!

Time is of the essence because the first frosts have already occurred. Thietke emphasizes the importance of the harvest in order not to let the juicy fruits go to waste. “The varieties Goldparmäne and Boskoop are perfect for the winter,” he recommends. But quinces, which can remain on the tree until November, should also be harvested more quickly so that they can develop their full splendor. If you are interested, you can contact us by phone on 0174 9603683 to arrange an individual appointment. There are no fixed pick-up times here; The motto remains flexible!

Identifying apples made easy

If you are unsure about which type of apple to pick, there is no need to despair. There are a few simple tips for identifying fruits. It is best to bring unwashed apples with stems and no worms to be identified. “The stem absolutely has to stay on the fruit,” explains a source. It is also important not to transport apples in plastic bags. The reason for this is that plastic can affect the smell of the apples. A good scent helps experts identify the variety with certainty. If you bring three to five apples and possibly a few leaves as well as a photo of the tree, it will be much easier to get advice.

Such regulations are often possible regionally at events. You can quickly see that not every type of apple looks the same. The spectrum ranges from sweet to tart, from crunchy to soft, and the unique growth habit makes the whole thing more and more exciting. With their extensive knowledge, pomologists like Thietke make a significant contribution to variety diversity.

Digitalization for the future

While the harvest and fruit identification are in full swing, an interesting project to digitize rare pomological works is also running in the background. The Horticultural Library strives to preserve difficult-to-access literature and make it accessible to future generations. The digitized works include important titles such as “Pome Fruit Varieties” by August Friedrich Adrian Diels and the “Illustrated Handbook”. These collections are valuable resources for aspiring pomologists and anyone interested in the science of fruit varieties.

However, digitization is not an easy undertaking. Several hurdles, such as different page counts and missing title pages, pose challenges for those involved. An example of this is the “Pomological Monthly Booklets”, which are carefully selected and digitized, although the project took two years. When digitizing, great care is taken to ensure that this rich collection is not lost.

In the midst of these events in Klein Zetelvitz, you can clearly see that the love for apples and the enthusiasm for fruit growing are alive in the region. Visiting the orchards is not only a delicious experience, but also a way to connect with nature and the traditions of pomology. After all, there is much more to every fruit than just taste – it is also a story of passion and dedication.