Holidaymakers pick 15 kilos of apples in the Altes Land - don't pay!

Holidaymakers pick 15 kilos of apples in the Altes Land - don't pay!

Last weekend, a couple of vacationers in the Altes Land, specifically in Jork in the Stade district, caused a stir. They picked around 15 kilograms of apples from a fruit tree plantation without paying for them. The owner of the plantation noticed the unauthorized action and spoke to the two vacationers about it. They initially showed little understanding and refused to pay for the apples. The incident drew the attention of the police, who, however, decided not to press charges after an agreement was reached between the owner and the holidaymakers. Ultimately, the vacationers were allowed to take the apples with them at no cost, which led to an amusing twist in the story. According to NDR, the situation is viewed by many as an example of the challenges and opportunities that climate change brings with it in fruit growing.

But that's not all, because the incident is more than just a curious anecdote. There is a bigger problem behind the apple harvest. When discussing the harvest, one hears again and again about an “apple lull in the Old Country”. This is due to various factors, including pollination by bees. A warm winter led to early flowering of the fruit trees, but a short period of cold in April 2024 significantly affected pollination. As a result, a higher quality but smaller apple harvest is expected this year. This is also explained by Matthias Görgens from the Fruit Growing Experimental Institute in Lower Saxony, who discusses the challenges posed by the climatic conditions. Whether this is a sign of man-made climate change remains controversial, because while spring 2024 is considered the warmest on record, it is clear that such short-term weather events are not synonymous with long-term climate change. The data from dpa and the German Weather Service show that deeper research into the causes of the issue requires a more far-reaching look at the issue of climate change.

Climate change as a background

The Altes Land is famous for its orchards, but current climate changes are bringing new challenges. The warming, reflected in an average temperature of 10.0 degrees Celsius in April 2024 - 2.6 degrees above the 1961 to 1990 average - clearly shows that seasonal fluctuations do not always correspond to long-term trends in climate change. April 2024 was not only warmer than in previous decades, but the first hot day occurred on April 6, 2024, when temperatures in Baden-Württemberg rose to 30.1 degrees Celsius.

These developments have an impact on the fruit harvest, and not least on the prospects of farmers. Climate change cannot be ignored, even if there are some voices that present it as a “lie”. This misinterpretation hinders the much-needed discussion about the challenges that farmers and gardeners will have to overcome in the future. The finding that human activities, particularly through CO2 emissions, are driving global warming is unanimously supported by experts. Innovation and adaptation strategies are required in order to secure fruit growing in the Altes Land even under changing conditions.

What happens next remains to be seen. Fruit growers have to face new challenges caused by climate change. In the meantime, the question remains as to how such strange incidents as the unauthorized apple harvest should be assessed in the context of the changing environment.